


My one and only "partner" ...

by chameleon_soul



Category: Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru
Genre: F/M, M/M, Mentioning of others
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-04-13 15:14:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 32
Words: 91,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4526961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chameleon_soul/pseuds/chameleon_soul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>DISCONTINUED!!!  No new chapters will be uploaded here.  Only read thus if you don't mind an unfinished story.</p><p>Zweilts are supposed to be soulmates, but when Shusei and Hotsuma find themselves seperated from each other, can they find their way back to each other?  Warning: there are some very dark and mature moments later on in the fic like non consensual intercourse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [all the Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru fans](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=all+the+Uragiri+wa+Boku+no+Namae+wo+Shitteiru+fans), [especially the Shusei and Hotsuma fans.](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=especially+the+Shusei+and+Hotsuma+fans.).



> Disclaimer: I don't own the serie. This is just non profit fan fiction
> 
> Author's note: This started originally out as a drabble of a few pages in which Shusei awaited his partner Hotsuma to come back home. My Muse however had other plans and before I knew it, the ending had turned completely different and become a possible start for a multi-chaptered story. For the moment the story is already beyond 200 pages and still growing. I hope you will enjoy.

Chapter 1:

He heard the door open, his partner quietly slipping inside as not to wake him. If only Hotsuma knew he never was able to fall asleep until the blond whom had stolen his heart had safely returned home from the gaming arcade the boy had slipped off to.

 

Of course Hotsuma didn’t run much risk in a gaming arcade. The biggest threat there lay in his partner’s wallet getting completely cleaned out as Hotsuma never knew when to quit, but money was just money. And who cared that Hotsuma didn’t have a single nickel on his bank account? He surely didn’t. Only Hotsuma seemed to care as his partner constantly nagged about not being able to buy the latest new game as his weekly allowance as always had already disappeared like snow before the sun before pay day had even gone by.  

 

No, what was more troublesome was the way home where in every shadow could lay a demonic threat. And even if the demons held quiet, there was always still the normal brawls Hotsuma had a knack for to get involved in. He couldn’t count on two hands anymore the times his partner had come home with a black eye or a busted lip, always a proud gleam in his eyes cause – as Hotsuma always proudly said while his friend obediently let him fuss about the sustained wounds during the scuffle - “you should have seen the other guy.”

 

Shusei pricked up his ears, listening intently to Hotsuma’s breathing pattern, the way the blond moved around in the room, anything that would give away something was off with his partner. Finding nothing out of habit – apart from a small muffled curse as Hotsuma managed to bump his toe against Shusei’s desk chair as the blond stubbornly moved around in the darkened room, refusing to switch on the light – Shusei released a small relieved sigh and let himself relax finally so sleep would be able to claim him.

 

He sensed Hotsuma walking over to the open windows through which a soft warm wind seeped into the room.

 

A small sound told him Hotsuma had brushed one of the curtains aside a little and was gazing outside at the stars now. A ritual his partner had started with years ago and was still firmly lodged within the blond boy. While he preferred to close the curtains and shut the world out, Hotsuma had always preferred to throw everything open and let the light and beauty of the world shine in. Even after the world spit him out and shunned him, Hotsuma still wasn’t yet ready to say ‘goodbye’ to the world and all the promises it had once held for the blond. Even now, with his eyes closed, Shusei could picture clearly the nostalgic frown that most definitely would be marring his friend’s forehead.

 

The fabric of the curtains rustled again, Hotsuma closing them again and respecting Shusei’s desire for privacy.

 

Bare feet patted over the floor but instead of heading to the other connecting bedroom that still held an empty bed, Hotsuma paused beside his bed.

 

Shusei kept his eyes firmly closed whilst he pretended to be asleep.

 

The mattress dipped as Hotsuma sat down on it.

 

Shusei expected his partner to start speaking. To ask if he was still awake or so, but instead he felt a shadow fall over his face as Hotsuma stretched out his hand and gently brushed a strand of hair away that had fallen in front of his eyes.

 

Shusei’s heart thumped in his chest, his heart doing such a wild and loud dance he was convinced Hotsuma could hear it, but his partner gave no indication that he knew Shusei was awake after all. Instead Hotsuma just kept sitting there, silent and unmoving.

 

His partner’s abnormal behavior unnerved Shusei but just as he was about to open his eyes and pretend Hotsuma’s nearness had awoken him, Hotsuma shifted. The back of the blond’s hand softly caressed his cheek after which his partner’s shadow fell completely over him as Hotsuma leant in and brushed a soft kiss on his forehead.

 

“Goodnight, Shusei,” Hotsuma whispered softly after which he got up and Shusei could hear him disappear into his own room.

 

Shusei’s eyes opened and he sat up. He stared through the darkness at the closed door behind which his partner was. His hand came up and his fingertips softly touched the spot where just ago Hotsuma’s lips had touched his forehead. The spot still felt warm to the touch, or maybe that was just his imagination.

 

Warm arms encircled him from behind. Lips pressed against the nape of his neck.

 

“Shusei?” A concerned voice asked. “What’s wrong? Can’t you sleep?”

 

Shusei’s eyes strained to the owner of the voice.

 

Piercing blue eyes were looking at him worriedly from underneath long, black bangs.

 

Shusei’s eyes shifted again to the door where just ago the blond boy had disappeared through but the door was no longer there. Only a solid wall and no indication there had ever been a door to begin with. His attention returned to the one in bed with him and he smiled reassuringly at the other. “I’m fine.”

 

His hand reached out and brushed the bangs on the left side away from the boy’s face. His hand remained resting against the warm cheek of the other. “You really should consider a haircut, Anath.”

 

Anath Sagara smiled back at Shusei. “You know I have a hate relationship with scissors,” he winked. His face then sobered up again. “Did you dream of him again?”

 

Shusei’s eyes returned to stare at the wall. He didn’t understand why he kept dreaming about this blond boy or why this person felt so important to him. Why it felt like he wouldn’t be able to breath without the blond boy being there. He didn’t know anyone that looked like the blond guy or listened to the name Hotsuma or spent the best of his time wasting it in gaming arcades. It just didn’t make any sense nor was it fair on his lover.

 

Shusei’s eyes returned to the blackhaired boy who was still watching him intensily whilst waiting patiently till he was ready to open up some more.

 

A shiver ran over Shusei’s bare back as he locked gazes with those piercing blue eyes that looked as if they could see right into the core of his soul. Those eyes were always on him, no matter where they were or who was with them. Always, always was he the centre of his lover’s attention and while it flattered him to be so important to one person, at times it also unnerved him as he felt like his soul lay the entire time baren to Anath.

 

“It’s nothing,” Shusei spoke, giving a weak smile. “It’s just a dream.”

 

Anath closed his hand around Shusei’s wrist and gently pulled Shusei’s hand off his cheek. He brought it up to his lips where he pressed a kiss against the ivory skin. “You forget that I believe in dreams,” he replied in a soft tone, his eyes looking at Shusei from underneath the lashes.

 

Shusei’ s other hand came to rest again his lover’s cheek and he leant in, kissing those alluring lips with a soft touch of his own lips. “I don’t,” he whispered against his lover’s lips.

 

Anath’s hand closed itself around Shusei’s second wrist and holding both wrists captive, he rolled them over so he was hovering now above Shusei. “Then you’re a fool,” he whispered in a low growl before he claimed Shusei’s lips as his own. He pinned the brunet harder against the mattress as he claimed the boy as his again and forced all thoughts of blond boys named Hotsuma out of Shusei’s mind.

\------------------------------

Anath looked down on the peaceful looking, sleeping face of his lover in his arms.

 

He reached out and stroked a damp strand of hair out of Shusei’s face, bringing his lips to the brunet’s forehead and placing a kiss at the exact same spot Shusei had been kissed by the blond boy in his dream.

 

Shusei stirred lightly, but didn’t wake.

 

Anath caressed Shusei’s cheek to sooth his brunet lover again into the depths of deep sleep. His eyes then lifted and came to rest on the exact spot on the wall where before Shusei had seen a door. A thoughtful frown appeared on his forehead.

 

TBC

* * *

 

Anath Sagara: Anath means “answer”


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

“They look so perfect together!”

 

“Sagara-sensei is such an attentive boyfriend!”

 

“Usui-sensei looks so dreamy!”

 

A small group of girls was regarding Shusei Usui and Anath Sagara. Shusei was busy with council responsibilities. He was going over a list of items with two other girls and a boy who were also on the school committee. Despite having nothing to do with the school council committee, Anath Sagara was hovering close by. Waiting till Shusei was done.

 

“Fuyo-senpai and Harada are so lucky,” one of the girls sighed.

 

All of the girls looked at the two female committee members that were allowed to get close to their dream princes. Some looked at them with unveiled jealousy while others regarded the two female committee members wishfully.

 

“I’m so running for the school committee next year.”

 

A girl laughed. “Good luck with that, Mai. You hardly have the qualities the school committee seeks in its members.”

 

The girl named Mai elbowed her friend. “Just you wait,” she replied, answering the unspoken challenge that had been laid down.

 

“Oh My God,” one of the girls suddenly breathed out. “Who are that?”

 

Everyone’s attention got drawn to the school president who came walking over the schoolyard towards Shusei and the rest of the school committee gathered around Usui. Behind him trailed a grey-haired boy, a strawberry blond girl and a blond guy. The grey haired boy and the strawberry blond girl wore a smile on their face and nodded friendly to the students they passed and whom gawked at them curiously. The blond boy trailed after them, uninterested in anyone and wearing a scowl on his face. It was clear the blond guy wanted to be anywhere else but here.

 

The school president stopped in front of the school committee group. Harada and Fuyo automatically stepped aside and aligned themselves beside Usui and Takeda. All four school committee members looked expectantly at their president.

 

Greetings got politely but quickly exchanged after which the school president stepped aside and revealed the reason of him being there. He beckoned the three students that had been trailing behind him forward. “Usui, Takeda, Fuyo and Harada, I would like to introduce to you Murasame Toko, her brother Murasame Tsukumo and Renjou Hotsuma. They have transferred here from their old school.” He indicated respectively the strawberry blond girl, the grey-haired boy and then the blond boy still hidden behind the first two students.

 

Shusei felt his heart skip a beat as the school president voiced the name of the boy that had been haunting his dreams. Outwardly however he didn’t show any indication of this small inner turmoil. He kept his attention on the girl and the grey-haired boy and smiled pleasantly at them. “Welcome, I am Shusei Usui, vice-president of the school committee,” he told them out of name for the rest of the school committee with him. “This is Shiho Fuyo, our school committee secretary.” He indicated the tall blond guy with blue eyes off the group. “Kara Harada, the school committee’s representative for the first year.” He gestured towards the smaller brown haired girl with brown eyes after which he introduced the taller brown haired girl with green eyes. “And Reito Takedo, responsible for our finances.”

 

Toko Murasame nodded back with a smile while Tsukumo Murasame’s smile broadened. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Usui-senpai.”

 

Shusei nodded politely back, his eyes drifting out of their own accord to the figure still hidden behind the other two. Only a mop of blond, unruly hair was visible to him from the boy named Renjou Hotsuma.

 

“Toko Murasame will be in your class, Usui. I was hoping you would be able to show her around and take her under your wings till she is settled in,” the school president directed at Shusei.

 

Shusei nodded to indicate he’d acquit himself of this task.

 

Toko bowed. “Thank you.” She then stepped up to her brother and linked her pinky with Tsukumo’s. “You’ll be all right without me, right, Tsukumo?” she asked her brother with genuine concern.

 

Her brother smiled back at her and reassured her he would be fine, but Shusei’s attention was riveted on the blond guy who had come in view now that Toko was no longer blocking him from sight.

 

Shusei felt his breath get stuck in his throat. Renjou Hotsuma didn’t only wear the name of the boy in his dreams, he also was a perfect copy of said boy. From his appearance to his sullen character. And for a few moments everything around him felt unreal as he stared at Hotsuma Renjou. This feeling quickly dissipated as a heavy arm landed around his shoulder.

 

Shusei remained impassive under the extra bodyweight he felt against his back. He already knew who the person was even before this person spoke. Only Anath dared to take such liberties when it came to him.

 

What did gain a small sparkle of surprise of Shusei was the sudden angry fire he saw in the golden eyes of Hotsuma Renjou. It was only there for a brief second before Hotsuma Renjou quickly schooled the emotion again behind his sullen facial expression.

 

“Renjou-kun and Murasame-kun will be in excellent hands with Harada,” Anath spoke up from his draped position around Shusei’s body. “You don’t mind, right, Harada, since they are in your class?”

 

Shusei blinked confused for a second as his mind registered his lover’s words. He’d been so focused on Renjou Hotsuma that he had missed the rest of the conversation that had taken place around him.

 

If Renjou was in Harada’s class, then this meant that Renjou Hotsuma was one year younger than he was. Just like his dream Renjou Hotsuma.

 

A quick glance downwards at the tie around Renjou’s neck confirmed that the blond boy was indeed one grade lower than him as Renjou wore a bluish, purplish neck tie instead of the red one both he and Anath wore.

 

Harada stepped up to Murasame Tsukumo and Renjou Hotsuma with a brilliant, open and warm smile on her face. She bowed to them politely and then asked them to follow her.

 

Tsukumo gave his sister a quick peck on the forehead before he followed Harada. Renjou Hotsuma trailed behind him, the blond boy still not having uttered a single word. But as Shusei watched them go, Renjou Hotsuma glanced back over his shoulder. His eyes immediately zoomed in on Shusei, a painful, longing look in them.

 

TBC

 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

“How long are Usui and that guy already together?”

 

Harada stopped mid-sentence in her explanation of the different school facilities and she turned towards Hotsuma Renjou. She was confused for a few moments, unable to come up with the right answer. The blond boy hadn’t yet said a single word the entire tour and now that he had finally shown some sort of interest, his question had nothing to do with the school but only with Usui-senpai and Sagara-senpai.

 

“Euh, they’ve always been together. Usui-senpai and Sagara-senpai have known each other their entire life. They have grown up together.”

 

A new wave of confusion hit Harada as Hotsuma looked away from her with a dark, angry look as he heard her answer.

 

“They must be pretty close then,” another voice commented.

 

Harada’s attention got drawn to Tsukumo who was looking at her with a pleasant smile.

 

Harada let out a relieved breath. At least Murasame Tsukumo was acting human unlike Renjou Hotsuma who had been following them around the entire tour with a dark aura hanging around him whilst Tsukumo had made pleasant small talk with her and had showed genuine interest in what she had been saying. Harada knew it wasn’t right to feel like this as a school committee member as they should give all students equal chances, but she was glad Tsukumo was with them cause Renjou’s attitude kinda unnerved her.

 

She nodded enthusiastically in answer to Tsukumo’s question. “Yes. They are perfectly in tune with each other. Somehow Sagara-senpai and Usui-senpai always know where the other is and when the other needs him. Not that they need that ability much,” she added, her face scrunched up in afterthought, “as they are hardly ever apart.”

 

Hotsuma snorted condescendingly, making Harada turn her attention on the blond boy but when no further reaction was forthcoming from the blond, Harada let her focus return to the guided tour she was giving through the school. She didn’t miss however the silent warning Tsukumo sent with his eyes in Hotsuma Renjou’s way.

\------------------------------

“You guys are so lucky.” Toko clasped her hands together whilst smiling at Shusei and Anath.

 

Anath and Shusei shared a look, the confusion apparent on Anath’s face but not a single indication of what Shusei was feeling on the brunet’s face.

 

“Why do you say that?” Anath asked with genuine curiousity, his eyes coming to rest on Toko again.

 

“Well, you guys have found each other already at such an early age. Do you know how many people go through life without ever finding their soul mate?” Toko clarified. “I hope one day I’ll be just as lucky and will find the one I’m supposed to be with.”

 

Anath smiled back at her. “I’m sure you will. Who knows? Maybe the one you are destined to be with might be right within the walls of this school. Not finding him certainly won’t be due to a lack of interest. You have only been here a few hours and already you have managed to draw the attention of many admirers. Maybe one among them will be the one for you.”

 

“Maybe,” Toko smiled pleased back, casting a quick glance from underneath her eye lashes at the group of boys in her class that had flocked together and were unveiled looking at her.

 

“Excuse me,” Shusei spoke up after which he made his way to the doorway of the classroom where the school president had showed up.

 

“Usui-kun sure seems to have an awfully lot of responsibilities,” Toko said as she and Anath watched Shusei step outside into the hallway.

 

“It’s the prize he pays for his social involvement. But he wouldn’t have it any other way. Shusei adores being able to help other people and to make live better for others. He has always been like that. He always puts others’ needs before his own.”

 

“He is lucky to have such an attentive and supportive boyfriend by his side,” Toko commented.

 

Anath looked from the doorway to Toko and then back to the doorway. A pleased smile appeared on his face.  

 

The conversation in the hallway had ended and Anath saw the school president leave. Shusei however didn’t show a single indication of coming back into the classroom. Instead the brunet turned away from the doorway and Anath’s eyes narrowed as it became clear Shusei was talking to someone else who had showed up.

 

“Excuse –me, Murasame,” Anath said, after which he made his way to the hallway. He stepped outside and froze for a second as his eyes landed on the figure of Hotsuma Renjou. A harsh glance appeared in his eyes as he stepped up beside Shusei and went to stand beside the brunet.

 

“Lost, Renjou-kun?” Anath asked with a harsh tone of voice. “This is the hallway for the second year. Yours is one floor below.”

 

Renjou’s eyes turned from Shusei’s form to Anath’s. The softness that had been present in his eyes mere seconds ago got replaced by coldness as they landed on Anath’s form.

 

Shusei’s hand reached out and landed reassuringly on Anath’s arm. “Renjou-kun came for Murasame, Anath.” His attention then returned to Hotsuma. “I’ll go call her for you.”

 

“No need,” Hotsuma replied, shoving himself brusquely past the two boys. “I can find her myself.”

 

Hotsuma entered the second year’s class and made his way over to a surprised looking Toko.

 

“Tsukumo wanted me to come and ask if you wanted to have lunch with us. He’s just signing up for the tennis club. He said he’ll meet us in the cafeteria.”

 

“Okay,” Toko nodded, reaching into her bag and pulling forth her bento box. She straightened back up, a teasing smile now playing around her mouth. “Are you sure you didn’t just come here to be able to see a certain someone?”

 

Hotsuma huffed annoyed and looked away from Toko, but his angry red blush told the girl she had hit the jackpot.

 

Toko laughed but her mood quickly sobered up as a heated whispered argument from within the hallway drew her attention to the pair standing there.  

 

Shusei and Anath’s quiet argument didn’t go unnoticed either by the rest of the still present students. They all stared and started to whisper to each other in disbelief as they had never before seen Shusei and Anath in disagreement.

 

Hotsuma’s attention went from the arguing pair in the hallway to Toko. “What are they saying?” he asked. He knew Shusei and Anath were talking in too low of voices for anyone in the classroom to be able to catch what the two were discussing apart from one person who had been blessed with a certain divine ability. True, Toko’s power may be weaker than her brother’s God Ears but he was confident Toko’s God Ears power would be sufficient to bridge the small distance they were standing from the arguing pair in the hallway.

 

“Anath wants Shusei to stay away from you,” Toko told him in a hushed voice so no one else in the class could hear.

 

A ruthless smile appeared on Hotsuma’s face and his eyes went from Toko to the hallway. “Like that’s going to happen.”

 

TBC

 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

“They’re living together. Sagara and Usui that is,” Tsukumo said in between bites of a big club sandwich.

 

“Are you sure,” Toko asked, regarding her younger brother whilst ignoring the salad that stood in front of her on the table around which she, Tsukumo and Hotsuma were sitting in the cafeteria.

 

Tsukumo nodded, swallowing his next bite through. “Everyone in school knows about it. They’re not keeping it a secret. Apparently they moved here together from the countryside. Sagara inherited a fortune when both his parents died and Shusei’s parents aren’t really interested in their son, so both of them went to the justice of peace at the age of 16 to demand their emancipation. They’ve been on their own since then. Sagara bought a condo close to the school and Shusei moved in with him.”

 

“That complicates the matter.” Toko thoughtfully pushed a piece of tomato around on her plate.

 

“Who cares?” Hotsuma spoke up with an angry huff. “We already knew before we started this that it wouldn’t be easy. I don’t care how firmly he has his claws hooked in Shusei. He ain’t keeping him.”

 

Toko and Tsukumo shared a look of understanding.

 

“Do you have a plan?” Tsukumo demanded Hotsuma.

 

Hotsuma swung his fork around, some of the sauce that had been on it flying around like this. “Burn that bastard to a crisp and take Shusei back home,” he answered with a look on his face and a tone of voice that dared anyone to object to his simple, straightforward plan. Who needed complicated strategies anyway? That was Shusei’s department, not his.

 

“Shouldn’t we first make sure Sagara is indeed our enemy ?” Toko interjected carefully.

 

Tsukumo looked questioningly at his sister. “Why? Has something happened that makes you think he isn’t the Opast we’re after?”

 

“Of course he is!” Hotsuma slammed his hand forcefully down on the wooden surface of the table. The action gained the attention of the neighboring tables.

 

Toko and Tsukumo both shot Hotsuma a warning with their eyes, making Hotsuma mutter a curse whilst he scowled, but he did calm down again, at least outwardly. His back remained ram rod and his anger kept rolling off him in waves but at least he had calmed down enough again for the rest of the students to lose their interest in them again and return to their own conversations concerning clothes, sports and dates.

 

Tsukumo’s attention returned to his sister. “Toko?”

 

Toko shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. It’s just a feeling I have. Sagara doesn’t seem malicious at all.”

 

“He warned Shusei to stay away from us,” Hotsuma reminded Toko. “If that ain’t a confession of guilt I don’t know what is.”

 

Toko sighed annoyed. “Sagara has asked Shusei to stay away from you. He didn’t say anything about me or Tsukumo. If Sagara really would be the Opast, wouldn’t he want to keep Shusei then away from all of us?”

 

“Then how do you explain him wanting to keep Shusei away from me?” Hotsuma shot back hotly.

 

“Maybe he sees you as a mating threat.”

 

Tsukumo’s statement managed to gain both Toko and Hotsuma’s attention who regarded him as if he had just lost the plot.

 

“I mean it,” Tsukumo continued seriously. “In the animal world are species where a male sees other males within the group as a threat for his position and his right to mate with the females whenever and wherever he wants. Maybe Sagara experiences a similar feeling whenever you are near. Maybe he picks up unconsciously on your interest in Shusei. “ Tsukumo leaned over the table and sniffed the air close to Hotsuma.

 

An angry, embarrassed blush appeared on Hotsuma’s face and he pushed Tsukumo non too gently back into his seat. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” he shot out in an angered tone.

 

Tsukumo smiled innocently and shrugged. “Just checking whether you were secreting sexual Shusei pheromones.”

 

Hotsuma’s mouth opened, closed again, opened again and then closed again, the blond unable to come up with an appropriate response. “Have you fucking lost you mind!!” he finally exploded, jumping up as he roared out the words; his chair scrapping loudly over the cafeteria floor.

 

Immediately all around them the conversations ceased again whilst all eyes got riveted back upon their little table. Hotsuma however ignored them all. What did it matter? Let them know Shusei was his.

 

“This ain’t some fucking game!” he roared angrily at the Murasame siblings. “You two have it easy as it ain’t your partner in the claws of some sick fucker! I refuse to lose him, you hear! And if you aren’t planning on taking this serious, you might as well go back home!”

 

“Hotsuma,” Toko’s hand reached out and came to lie reassuringly and comfortingly on the furious blond’s arm, “Tsukumo didn’t mean anything with it. We’re just trying to figure out what is going on just like you. We know how important he is to you and we will do everything in our power to help you get him back.”

 

“We miss him too,” Tsukumo added in a soft tone.

 

The Murasame’s calmness threw Hotsuma off balance. It would have been so much easier if Toko and Tsukumo had yelled back at him or had also jumped to their feet and had told him that he was on his own then if he didn’t appreciated their help. Their understanding of the situation and how hard this was on him combined with their compassion however left him confused and unsure of what to do or say. His anger deflated and he fell back down in his chair, his arms crossed crossly in front of his chest as he sulked.

 

Toko and Tsukumo shared a concerned look.

 

“Hotsuma,” Tsukumo started, “we’d rather also get Shusei back right this instant but if we rush this and make mistakes, we might lose him completely.”

 

Hotsuma huffed and looked angrily away, but the fact that he didn’t object to Tsukumo’s words was enough sign to the siblings that the blond had heard what Tsukumo had said and agreed with those words even if the blond’s heart probably was screaming at him to just forego this crazy dance of deception and just grab Shusei and make a run for it.

 

“It’s been weeks,” Hotsuma brought out through gritted teeth. “Who knows what he has done to Shusei.”

 

“He’s still alive, Hotsuma.” Toko’s hand came to rest again on the blond’s shoulder. The shoulder felt stiff and full of tension under her hand. “And we’re going to keep it that way, okay?”

 

Hotsuma’s eyes darted back to Toko, a sparkle of gratitude in them the blond felt but was unable to express verbally.

 

Toko smiled back at him.

 

A loud laughter drew their attention suddenly to the table next to where the members of the school council were sitting. Hotsuma’s eyes went from this table to the council member’s table and his eyes darkened as the one he had been searching for was absent.

 

“That idiot,” he muttered in an angry tone that was laced with concern. “He’s still skipping his lunch.”

 

Toko and Tsukumo followed Hotsuma’s regard and also noticed the two empty chairs at the table of the council members.

 

“Anath isn’t here either,” Toko voiced. “Maybe Shusei and he are having a private lunch somewhere else.”

 

Hotsuma snorted. “As if.” He got up and grabbed his tray. He turned to walk to the bin and shove the leftovers of his lunch in the bin but bumped instead in a girl from his class that was standing right behind him.

 

The girl immediately turned bright red as Hotsuma’s eyes landed on her. Her head lowered and she stared at the floor as she stuttered out the reason she had sought out Hotsuma.

 

“Renjou, will you please go out with me?”

 

The girl kept her head bowed and her blush darkened as she still couldn’t believe she had found the necessary courage to ask Hotsuma out.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes went from the girl to her group of friends who were standing a few tables away and were looking expectantly at him and the girl. His eyes shifted back to the girl. “Why? You don’t know me.”

 

The girl looked quickly up. “But I would like to get to know you,” she responded eagerly. “Maybe during a date we can …”

 

“I’m gay,” Hotsuma brusquely interrupted her after which he shoved past her and headed for the bin without looking a single time back at the girl who was now looking stunned at his retreating figure.

 

As Hotsuma left the cafeteria, her eyes came to rest on the Murasame siblings, hoping to find some sort of answer there or to hear that Hotsuma had only joked about being gay and that she still had a chance to win his heart. The only response she got was the apologetic look Toko and Tsukumo shot her way.

 

TBC

 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Shusei blinked surprised as he opened the door off the school committee’s room and was greeted by Renjou Hotsuma in the hallway. The blond was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed in front of him, his head lowered and his eyes closed.

 

Shusei cleared his throat to draw Hotsuma’s attention. Golden eyes slowly opened and focused on him with a dangerous glint in them as Hotsuma lifted his head in a slow manner.

 

“Renjou,” Shusei simply said, no emotion in his tone of voice or present on his face.

 

“I locked myself out of my school’s locker,” Hotsuma replied to the unspoken question of what he was doing here.

 

“Can’t you use your spare key?” Shusei simply asked.

 

“I put it in my locker for safe keeping.”

 

Shusei blinked once, twice. Of all the things he had expected to come out of the blond’s mouth, he hadn’t expected the boy to have done something this idiotic.

 

Shusei regarded Hotsuma silently for a few moments, running over all his possibilities. Normally he wouldn’t make a point in accompanying a student to his locker to open it with the master key, but Anath had made it pretty clear he didn’t want him to spend any time with Renjou Hotsuma. True, Anath wasn’t here - he had swimming practice – and wouldn’t know but it was the principal of the matter. Anath trusted him and he didn’t want to betray his lover’s trust.

 

“Very well. I’ll ask Harada to accompany you to unlock your locker for you.”

 

“Why can’t you?” Hotsuma asked blunt and forward

 

The question made Shusei halt in his movement of stepping back inside the committee’s room and get Harada. He glanced over his shoulder at Hotsuma. “Is there a problem with Harada accompanying you?”

 

“Is there a problem with it being you?” Hotsuma shot back immediately.

 

Shusei remained silent, taking in Hotsuma, trying to figure him out.

 

“Or can’t you decide for yourself who you hang out with or not? Do you let Sagara decide everything for you? “

 

Shusei blinked as he registered the challenging tone underneath Hotsuma’s words. What did the blond want from him? “Why me?”

 

Hotsuma shrugged. “Why not?” His tone had gone back to normal, the boy hinting off that in fact it really didn’t matter whether Shusei would go with him to the locker or not, but in those golden eyes still lay that challenge.   It dared him to defy Anath’s demand and to do what he wanted to do himself.

 

Shusei felt torn between his promise to Anath and this strange sensation he felt in the pit of his stomach that told him to defy his lover and go with the blond. But that was all it was, wasn’t it? Just a student whom had locked himself out of his own locker and needed help. It was just coincidence that this student was the boy from his dreams.

 

“Very well. Wait here while I get the key.”

 

Shusei disappeared within the assigned classroom for the school committee only to step back into the hallway mere moments later with a key in his hand.

 

Without a word to Hotsuma, Shusei led them to the school lockers where he patiently waited for Hotsuma to take the lead now and direct him to the boy’s locker.

 

Shusei put the master key in the lock and turned the key. The lock snapped and the small door swung open. He stepped away from the locker and turned to Hotsuma. “There you go. May I suggest you keep your spare key somewhere else?”

 

“Thanks,” Hotsuma replied.

 

Shusei nodded and indicated he would be heading back to the classroom of the school committee now. But before Shusei could get very far, Hotsuma called out to him whilst the blond grabbed his wrist and halted his movement.

 

Shusei’s eyes went from Hotsuma’s hand to the blond’s face. He kept his blank mask carefully in place, but this didn’t seem to discourage Hotsuma.

 

“You haven’t eaten anything this morning or this afternoon, have you?”

 

A small crack appeared in Shusei’s mask as he was taken aback by Hotsuma’s words. He had been able to keep his eating disorder hidden for years now from everyone so how could a boy whom only knew him for one day see so easily through him?

 

No, his mind almost immediately responded as his rational side took over. This was just sheer luck. The blond probably had noticed he hadn’t eating anything during lunch and had heard from someone that Anath had nagged him about breakfast. That was all there was to it.

 

“I’m fine,” he replied, his trademark, polite smile directed at Hotsuma. “I had something in the committee’s room.”

 

“Yeah right,” Hotsuma huffed, his tone of voice clearly betraying he didn’t buy a single word of Shusei’s lie. He released Shusei’s wrist and grabbed something out of his locker which he then shoved in Shusei’s direction.

 

In his surprise Shusei accepted the brown bag before his brain could tell him he should have politely refused the gift. His eyes looked confused from the brown bag to the blond.

 

An angry scowl was on Hotsuma’s face. He stepped forward towards Shusei and jabbed a finger in his direction. “Eat, you hear.” He then slammed the door to his locker closed and walked away.

 

Shusei watched him go, only getting shocked out of his stupor as Hotsuma rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight. His attention went back to the brown bag in his hand and he opened it, finding to his surprise in the bag some prepared sandwiches, none of the sandwiches holding any spread he disliked.

 

Shusei’s eyes lifted again and he stared confused at the spot where just ago Hotsuma had still been.

 

TBC

 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Shusei looked up from his homework to the brown bag that stood on his desk. The food within was still untouched, yet for some reason he couldn’t explain he hadn’t been able to throw the bag in the nearest bin. Instead he had brought it home with him and placed it, without giving it a second thought, on his desk where it had remained forgotten till now. Shusei stared at the bag deep in thought.

 

Hotsuma Renjou was a mystery. He had asked Harada about Hotsuma when he had returned to the school committee assigned classroom. Harada had told him that Hotsuma Renjou had behaved the entire day rudely, inattentive and hadn’t shown any interest in anything or anyone apart from the Murasame siblings whom had transferred with him to this school. Immediately after she had blushed and apologized for speaking badly about a student like that, but he had reassured her that it was okay.  Everyone was allowed to have their own opinion just as long as you didn’t stare yourself blind on that first formed opinion and were prepared to adjust your idea about a certain person when it turned out to be invalid.

 

Shusei put his book aside and pulled the bag towards him.

 

Why did Hotsuma Renjou behave the exact opposite when it came to him? There was no reason at all for the blond boy to care about whether he ate something or not and yet Hotsuma had gone out of his way to get him this food. Oh yes, there was no doubt in Shusei’s mind that the lost key of the locker had been nothing but a fib from Hotsuma to get him alone and to the blond’s locker where the food had been sitting in wait to be handed over to him. Unless of course Renjou Hotsuma always had a bag with prepared sandwiches in his locker the entire time but Shusei highly doubted this. And this didn’t answer the question as to why Renjou Hotsuma had singled him out. They had hardly spoken two words with each other before Hotsuma had showed up at the school committee’s room with his plan already firmly lodged within his mind. So why?  

 

Shusei wiggled his pen between two fingers as he went over his different encounters with Hotsuma.

 

There had been the first meeting where Hotsuma hadn’t said anything, only thrown him that pained and longing look for a few seconds when he had walked away from him. Then the encounter in the hallway when Hotsuma had come by to get Toko for lunch. Hotsuma had been polite until Anath had showed up and the blond had done a 180 on them. And then lastly the ambush outside the school committee room where Hotsuma hadn’t let up and had shown some underlying tension when he had challenged him to defy Anath’s wish of staying away from the blond.

 

Shusei’s gaze travelled to the window and he gazed outside past his own reflection. The light blue sky was slowly turning darker, dark grey clouds rolling in from the west and announcing rain and a possible thunderstorm. If Anath wouldn’t hurry up, he’d be drenched to the bone as his lover hadn’t taken an umbrella with him this morning.

 

Shusei looked out of the corner of his eye at the umbrella sitting innocently in the umbrella stand. Normally he wouldn’t hesitate and run over to the swimming pool and bring Anath his umbrella after which they would head back home together, but today Shusei found himself unable to summon up the strength or will to go to his lover.

 

Absentminded he rubbed over his wrist where Hotsuma had grabbed him at the blond’s locker and had halted his departure. He could still feel the warmth that had been infused into his own skin when Hotsuma’s heated flesh had come in contact with his own colder one. And when Hotsuma had released him in favor of grabbing the brown bag in the blond’s locker, a strange sense of lose had made itself known in his heart. A sensation that was still present in his heart and that threw a faint shadow over his feelings for Anath. So perhaps Anath had been right after all and was it better to avoid Hotsuma. After all, they didn’t know anything about the blond boy and him showing up at their school, looking exactly like the boy in his dream, sounding exactly the same and showing such obvious unhealthy interest in him, wasn’t normal. Yes, perhaps it was better to stay clear of Hotsuma Renjou.

 

Decision made, Shusei got up from his desk chair with the intention of going to the swimming pool after all to meet up with Anath but before he could take one step away from his desk, the front door of the apartment opened soon followed after by the door to the livingroom where he was. Anath stepped inside; his hair a shade darker than usual as it was still damp from the water of the swimming pool.

 

Shusei turned completely toward his lover. “Welcome home. I was just planning on coming to get you.”

 

Anath dropped his school- and swimming bag and walked over to Shusei. He pulled the slightly shorter boy towards him and kissed him. “You’re always so thoughtful.” He gave a quick second kiss to Shusei’s lips before he stepped away from Shusei and walked back to his bags. He grabbed his swimming bag and disappeared into the bathroom to hang up his wet towel and swimming trunks. He left the door open and the light from the bathroom cast a column of light into the livingroom.

 

“Coach let us out earlier when he saw the storm rolling in,” Anath explained from within the bathroom. “He didn’t want to take the risk of any of us getting caught in it and becoming sick when next week are the championships.”

 

Anath came back out of the bathroom and picked up his school bag. He walked over to the couch and dropped down on it. He opened his school bag and started to remove some books that he placed on the coffee table in front of him.

 

Shusei walked over to the couch and sat down beside his lover. His hand reached out and he let his fingers comb through Anath’s damp strands of hair. “How is practice going? Do you think you’ll stand a chance next week?”

 

Anath stopped rummaging through his bag and turned his attention on Shusei. He shrugged. “Who knows? Coach seems to think so, but this is the same man we’re talking about who was already busy celebrating our victory last year before the competition had even started and we ended last back then.”

 

A small, fond smile appeared around Shusei’s lips as he recalled said event and the embarrassment the entire swimming team had radiated due to their coach’s overconfidence. His hand in Anath’s hair travelled lower and came to rest in his lover’s neck. He pulled Anath towards him and locked lips with him.

 

Anath’s own hands came to rest on Shusei’s shoulders. “I missed you,” he whispered against Shusei’s lips. He gently pushed against Shusei, making Shusei slide underneath him on the couch. With one arm leaning on the back of the couch and the other hand placed beside Shusei’s head, Anath hovered over his lover.

 

Shusei reached up and folded his hands together behind Anath’s neck. Using his clasped together hands, Shusei brought the black-haired boy down for another kiss. Their lips locked together and Shusei obediently opened his mouth under Anath’s prodding, allowing his lover’s tongue to delve inside.

 

Anath’s hand moved to the hem of Shusei’s shirt. His fingers wrapped around the fabric and he pushed the shirt up a bit so his hand had free play and could slip underneath the piece of clothing. His long fingers caressed Shusei’s side. His feathery touch brushed up and down over Shusei’s naked flesh.

 

Shusei moaned into the kiss and when Anath pulled away, Shusei’s head lifted off the couch to follow Anath as Shusei didn’t want the kiss to end just yet.

 

Anath chuckled. “A bit eager, aren’t you?” He pushed Shusei back down after which he angled his face and started to trail a shower of kisses on Shusei’ arm. Slowly he created a path from Shusei’s elbow to the boy’s wrist where he suddenly froze. His head lifted and cold, steel hard eyes regarded Shusei while Anath’s mouth was set in a grim line.

 

“You lied to me,” Anath accused, his hand tightening slightly around Shusei’s wrist.

 

Shusei’s hand came to rest softly against Anath’s cheek. “It’s nothing. He needed help, that’s all. It won’t happen again.”

 

“He’s too familiar with you. I don’t like it,” Anath voiced, his eyes still darkened.

 

“I’ll stay clear of him. I promise.”

 

Anath scanned Shusei’s face. Upon finding nothing but openness and honesty there, Anath’s grip around Shusei’s wrist loosened. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, lowering his eyes and focusing on the mark Hotsuma had left and that he felt on Shusei’s wrist. His lips tenderly touched the affected area and cleansed the tainted flesh by putting his own mark over it.

 

TBC

 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Shusei looked apologetic at his lover whom glared at their physical education teacher who was enthusiastically explaining how today they were going to have physical education together with the lower grade. It wasn’t the first time this happened, and normally Anath didn’t make a problem out of it, but today the black-haired boy obviously loathed the idea and it didn’t take a genius to figure out why that was. The class they were having physical education together with was none other than the class that held Hotsuma Renjou.

 

Shusei sighed inwardly, showing nothing on the outside of the annoyance he himself felt about the dirty trick Fate was playing on them. Just yesterday he had promised Anath to stay away from Renjou and today he didn’t only have physical education with the blond boy but had also been divided in the same soccer team as Renjou. Someone somewhere up there really hated him.

 

“All right!” Mrs. Mato the physical education teacher shouted after she was done laying down the rules for today’s game. “Everybody make your way to your own part of the field and remember that this game is for fun so no dirty moves. Shinso, that mainly applies to you.” A brown-haired boy gave the teacher a condescending look, the boy obviously not pleased with being signaled out like this.

 

Mrs. Mato ignored Shinso and put her whistle in her mouth. She gave a short, sharp whistle to signal to all of the students to get their butts moving and make their way over the green grass to the lesser green field that held here and there some brown patches where the grass had been ruined from extensive use or tackles that had been performed on the field and had brought not only the player with the ball down, but at the same time had uprooted patches of grass in the process.

 

Shusei took his assigned post. His eyes travelled over the expanse of the field and sought out his lover on the other team. Spotting Anath, Shusei’s eyes travelled back to his own team to determine whom Anath would be guarding and found his heart skip a beat as his eyes landed on Renjou. His eyes darkened as they went back to Anath. His lover met his gaze and didn’t make a secret out of it that he had chosen his position deliberately.

 

Their teacher put the ball down in the middle of the field, one member of each team standing by the ball and awaiting the whistle signal before both would try to push the ball into their own team’s direction. A shrill sound announced the start of the game.

 

Anath’s team managed to gain possession over the ball. They passed the ball quick and swiftly to each other, making quick progress over the field of Shusei’s team towards the goal Tsukumo was guarding.

 

A pass made the ball come in possession of Anath but before the black-haired boy could let his foot make contact with the ball, Hotsuma slid past. The blond performed a well executed tackle that sent the ball away to one of his team members. Hotsuma and Anath shared a glare, electricity almost crackling in the air as they locked gazes. A silent challenge got thrown down and then both boys went after the ball, both determined to be the one to win this laid down and accepted challenge.

 

Hotsuma managed to score the ball and Anath attacked. He went down and slid over the grass to Hotsuma, but before his foot could push the ball away from Hotsuma, Hotsuma gave a pass to Shusei whom easily received the pass and sent the ball towards the goal of Anath’s team. The goalkeeper of Anath’s team dived towards the ball. His fingers brushed the worn leather of the soccer ball, but it wasn’t enough to halt the movement off the ball that went past the boy’s hands and rolled into the goal. A load cheer broke free in Shusei’s team.

 

Hotsuma sought out Anath and gave the black-haired boy a smirk before he jogged over to Shusei and congratulated the brunet with the well placed shot. Shusei nodded his acceptance of the compliment and then jogged away from Hotsuma to take back up his position on their own part of the field. Hotsuma threw Anath a final triumphantic look before following Shusei back to his own side of the field.

 

The first made goal brought a new rivalry forth and the game intensified. Both teams tried their hardest to score, sending the ball forward over the field towards the goals but none managed to actually come in possession of the second made goal. Tsukumo showed an excellent talent for being goalkeeper and the first ball the goalkeeper on Anath’s team had let pass had shaken the boy awake and he too now defended his goal like a fierce lion.

 

The ball went from left to right and back whilst members of both teams started to slowly show signs of exhaustion yet refused to give in to it as none of them wanted to be the one whom let the team down. Shusei got the ball again and guided the ball towards the goal with quick, fluent movements when suddenly the boy whom was responsible for guarding Shusei tackled the brunet, sending Shusei tumbling over the outstretched foot of the other boy.

 

Shusei crashed to the ground and let out a hiss as pain shot up from his ankle. Almost immediately after the sound of the whistle sounded and the game stopped.

 

“Shusei!” Anath’s voice rang out in alarm over the field. In just a few seconds was he beside his lover. Shusei looked up into concerned blue eyes that quickly lowered to his own level as Anath let himself fall on his knees beside the brunet. “Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?”

 

“I think I managed to twist my ankle,” Shusei replied.

 

Anath’s eyes immediately transferred themselves to his lover’s foot. “Let me have a look at it.” Anath reached out for the brunet’s foot, but a slightly larger and more slender hand halted his movement.

 

“No, you don’t, Sagara,” the voice of the physical education teacher sounded. She had jogged over the field towards Shusei’s down figure and was now also crouching beside the boy. “I’m not going to risk having you aggravate the situation by letting you play doctor.” She pushed Anath’s hand away but let him stay sitting beside Shusei. Her hands ran methodically over Shusei’s foot and ankle, pressing here and there slightly and twisting the foot slightly to ascertain the gravity of the injury. “I’m going to take off your shoe and sock to get a better look, Usui. This may hurt a little.”

 

Shusei grit his teeth as Mrs. Mato made quick but careful work of his shoe and sock.

 

A few students immediately whistled as Shusei’s flesh came in sight, the ivory skin already coloring bluish on the side of the foot and around his ankle joint. Mrs. Mato quickly looked Shusei’s foot over and then sat back on her heels. “Looks like you’ve done quite the number on yourself, Usui,” she started, only to be cut off as suddenly a brawl erupted behind her back.

 

“That was a dirty tackle!” a voice roared out, barely contained rage present in its voice.

 

“It was an accident!” a second voice shot back.

 

“As if!”

 

Mrs. Mato left Shusei’s side and pushed the students aside that were blocking the two arguing students.

 

Hotsuma came in sight. His hands were gripping harshly the collar of the shirt of the boy that had tackled Shusei and he used this hold to drag the boy up and towards his scowling face. His golden eyes were narrowed and his teeth were slight visible due to the snarl on his face. It felt to Shusei as if Hotsuma was any second ready to charge at Shinso’s throat and rip a part of Shinso’s flesh out.

 

“Renjou!” the physical education teacher barked. “Let Shinso go!”

 

Hotsuma seemed to hesitate for a few seconds but then suddenly released his hold on Shinso, shoving the other boy violently off him as if he was some dirty germ Hotsuma didn’t want to get infected with.

 

Mrs. Mato first let her attention settle on Shinso, asking the boy if he was all right, before turning her focus completely on Hotsuma. “You can cool down on the bench for the remainder off the hour, Renjou. And I’d like to see you afterwards in my office.” Her eyes then travelled back to Shusei whom had gotten to his feet during the exchange and was standing upright now with Anath’s help and support. “On second thought, Renjou,” her gaze came to rest again on the fuming blond, “Usui will need to go and see the school nurse. You can help him to the infirmary.”

 

Shusei felt Anath’s grip on him tighten, the black-haired boy’s fingers digging forcefully into his flesh. “I can take him,” Anath spoke up.

 

Their teacher turned her attention back on Anath and Shusei. “I ordered Renjou to take Usui, Sagara,” she started in a tone of voice that didn’t allow any objections. “He may be a hot head but I am sure that even Renjou can manage a simple task as getting Usui to the infirmary without causing more bodily harm to Usui. Besides, Renjou is out of the game and you are not. Your place is out there, “she nodded to the field. “Renjou’s not. He might as well do something useful with his time.”

 

Shusei glanced sideways at his lover, noticing the angry lines that had formed around Anath’s mouth whilst his lover did his best to bite back any further protests. Shusei pushed himself off Anath, coming to stand on his own strength. “That won’t be necessary, sensei. I can make it to the infirmary on my own. There is no need to send Renjou along.”

 

“Usui,” Mrs. Mato started, her tone of voice barely concealing the annoyance she felt due to her students trying to keep wayleighing her decision, “that is a bad sprain. Stop being the martyr and let Renjou help you to the infirmary before you do even more damage to yourself.”

 

Shusei opened his mouth to protest anew as he didn’t want to upset Anath any further with going back on his promise and allowing Hotsuma Renjou to actually come close to him. But before he could utter a single word, Hotsuma was beside him and had already ducked under his arm and slung his arm around the blond’s shoulder so he could lean on the blond’s slightly muscular form.

 

Shusei’s eyes shot sideways, a small shock of surprise in them due to Hotsuma’s forwardness. He tried to pull away from Hotsuma but the blond kept his hold tight on him, his mouth set in a stubborn line. Shusei had no other choice than to allow Hotsuma to lead him of the field and towards the infirmary. Although impossible, Shusei could swear that he felt the entire trip Anath’s eyes boring holes in his back, sending him a warning to keep his promise or else. Involuntarily a shiver ran over Shusei’s back.

 

TBC

 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

The school nurse pursed her lips as she examined Shusei’s ankle. Her eyes went from the brunet’s ankle to the boy’s face. “As always Mrs. Mato is exaggerating. The sprain isn’t that bad. A good bandage and you’ll be able to put some weight back on it.”

 

Shusei made a small incomprehensible sound. His attention wasn’t on the school nurse or on his foot even though outwardly he gave every sign of following completely the process the school nurse was subjecting his injured foot to. Inwardly however he was completely focused on the blond who was still standing in the office of the school nurse.

 

Instead of just delivering him to the school infirmary and then heading back to the gym field, Renjou Hotsuma had remained there with him. The blond was leaning against the wall beside the window. His arms were crossed in front of him and his golden eyes riveted on Shusei as if Shusei was the only person there in the room with him.

 

Shusei did his utmost best not to give in to his desire and look up and meet those golden irises. He had thrown sneaky sideway glances to Renjou’s partial reflection in the window and those small glimpses of the blond had already been enough to make him feel highly uncomfortable. He didn’t know what it was with Hotsuma Renjou, but the way the blond was studying him … It almost felt like Renjou was some predator that was studying its prey before the attack.

 

The school nurse stood up from the chair beside the examining table on which Shusei sat. She turned towards her cabinet with supplies, her eye falling again on the blond, new transfer student whom had brought Usui in and whom she had forgotten all about till now.

 

“Ah …,” she spoke up, realizing suddenly she had no idea what the boy’s name was.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes shifted from Shusei’s form to the school nurse. “Renjou,” he answered her unspoken question.

 

A warm smile broke free on the nurse’s face. “Renjou,” she acknowledged. “Would you be so kind to get Usui’s school uniform from the changing room? Even if the sprain ain’t that serious, he won’t be able to join gym class anymore today.”

 

Hotsuma’s eyes went back to Shusei. He remained silent as if he first needed to think over the suggestion and whether he should comply with it or not.

 

“You’ll still be here when I get back?” he directed at Shusei, his tone of voice brusque yet Shusei frowned slightly as underneath the brusqueness he thought he could detect a small hint of fear. But fear for what then?

 

“I have nowhere else to be currently,” he answered. He gave Hotsuma his characteristic, seemingly carefree smile that was most of the time enough to make girls nearly faint and other students relax and accept his words, yet Renjou proved to be different. The blond remained standing there, studying him again as if the boy could read off his face alone whether he was lying or not.

 

Shusei bravely maintained eye contact even though he could feel his heart speed up and the hairs in the back of his neck stood up. Hotsuma Renjou was sending out some vibe he wasn’t able to identify or grab yet his entire body seemed to be reacting to it. There was a strange tugging at his heart and for a second an image flashed before his eyes. A sad, young, blond boy standing in the pouring rain and looking as if he had just lost his place in the world. But before Shusei could get a good look at the boy’s face, which slowly lifted to meet his eyes, the image was gone. Nevertheless something within Shusei told him that the lost looking boy and Renjou Hotsuma were one and the same person. But if so … then how could he have this memory within him?

 

Shusei’s eyes narrowed slightly and he studied the blond better. Hotsuma underwent his inspection without a single complaint. In fact his golden irises even seemed to challenge Shusei to study him and find whatever it was the brunet was looking for and this scared Shusei. It was as if the blond knew an important secret he himself wasn’t privileged to be a part of.

 

Shusei pulled his gaze away from Hotsuma. He saw from the corner of his eye a hurt, saddened and disappointed look in Hotsuma’s eyes but before he could focus better on it, the emotions were gone and Shusei was left wondering if they had really been there or if he had just made them up.

 

Hotsuma turned away from him. “Locker 18, right?”

 

For a moment Shusei had no clue what Hotsuma was talking about when he suddenly remembered again that the school nurse had asked the blond to go grab his uniform from the changing room. “Yes, the combination of the lock is …”

 

“I know your combination,” Hotsuma interrupted gruffly. He stepped outside of the infirmary before Shusei even had the chance to ask how the blond could possible know his locker’s combination if they only knew each other for one day and a few hours.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

As expected Shusei’s locker combination hadn’t changed. Hotsuma pulled the locker open and grabbed the requested uniform. He piled the stitches of clothing on his arm and then closed the door to the locker again.

 

He gave a final glance over his loot, making sure he hadn’t missed an item of clothing, and then threw a quick glance around to make sure he was completely alone within the changing room.

 

He walked over to one of the benches in the room and placed his load on it. Shusei’s white blouse was the only piece of clothing still in his hands as he straightened back up.

 

Hotsuma threw a final glance around himself and then lifted the blouse to his face. Shusei’s unique scent immediately invaded his senses and he brought the blouse even closer, burying his nose completely in the article of clothing. How he had missed this fragrance.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes fell closed on their own accord as he let Shusei’s scent overtake him and transport him back to happier times when the brunet had still been by his side and in his arms. His fingers contracted in painful longing and bunched up the material in his hands. He didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to stand this. To be so close to Shusei yet at the same time be so far apart from the brunet boy. He needed Shusei and he’d be damned to let anyone stand in his way. The only reason he didn’t just snatch Shusei away from this life the brunet had built up for himself, was the warning Takashiro had shared with them before he and the Murasame siblings had come here.

 

“Shusei,” he softly muttered into the material, for once not hiding the pain and longing he felt. He took in a final, big swig of Shusei’s scent before he lowered the blouse again and accepted with pain in his heart that for now this was all he would be getting from the one whom held his heart.

 

He quickly scooped up the rest of Shusei’s uniform again in his arms and then headed back to the school infirmary, trying his best to ignore the small hint of fear that had settled within the pit of his stomach that upon his return there, the brunet boy would be gone.

\---------------------------------------------------------

By the time Hotsuma returned to the infirmary, a screen had been set up in front of the examination table behind which Shusei could change. The school nurse was nowhere in the office anymore but Hotsuma could clearly make out Shusei’s silhouette behind the screen.  An enormous weight fell of Hotsuma’s shoulders. Shusei was still here. He hadn’t disappeared like before.

 

Eager to see the brunet boy again Hotsuma rounded the screen and froze as his eyes landed on Shusei’s naked back. Not at all the complication he had counted upon. Yet Hotsuma couldn’t deny that a part of him wasn’t content with this sudden chance he was presented with. He felt his heart thumb painfully in his chest as he waited for Shusei to face him. Would they still be there? Or had he erased them?

 

Shusei turned around, his arm outstretched and his hand held out in question for his clothes, but Hotsuma didn’t budge a single inch as his attention was glued on the burns on Shusei’s chest. For such a long time those burns had been reason enough for him to avert his eyes from Shusei, but now Hotsuma felt himself nearly on the verge of tears as the burns were still there and proved that he had touched Shusei’s life and had been part of it before this cruel mockery had started.

 

The clothes fell out of Hotsuma’s hands and as in a trance Hotsuma stepped forward with his hand stretched out in front of him.

 

Shusei’s first impulse was to quickly scoop up his gym shirt and hold it in front of his chest – covering the burns up in the process - but the strange look of pain, guilt and something else Shusei couldn’t define made him play a waiting game. Hotsuma’s curiosity with his burns seemed to run deeper than just a simple morbid fascination he had seen before within fellow students and that he had come to loath. These burns were private. Something off him and Anath and no one else had any right to them. But for some reason he couldn’t explain, Shusei felt as if it would be wrong to prohibit Renjou Hotsuma of being a part of this.

 

Time seemed to slow down around them and as Hotsuma slowly advanced as if he were approaching a scared deer that would run away if it were spooked by a too sudden movement, Shusei himself felt himself fall prey to an unexplainable feeling that made him not only desire the blond’s acknowledgement of the burns but made him actually also crave for Hotsuma’s touch. His burns seemed to tingle with need for the blond’s fingers to touch them, caress them.

 

Hotsuma was so close now that Shusei could feel heath radiating of the blond’s warm fingers. The warmth caressed his skin in some odd sort of foreplay and Shusei felt the desire built up within him to just close his eyes and give himself up to Hotsuma, but then suddenly Anath’s presence approached.

 

Shusei’s eyes widened slightly, the sensation of his lover drawing near whilst Anath wasn’t yet physically there enough for him to realize the betrayal he was performing. He quickly stepped backwards, out of Hotsuma’s reach and breaking the spell both had been under.

 

Guilt laced Shusei’s features and he quickly turned away from Hotsuma. How could he have done this to Anath? Hadn’t he just promised Anath the other night that there was nothing to worry about? That he wasn’t interested in Hotsuma Renjou at all? Then why had he just craved for the blond’s touch? Why had he wanted to feel Hotsuma’s heat wrap around him and burn him? He was happy with Anath, wasn’t he? He didn’t need anyone else, did he?

 

Hotsuma had no idea what had just happened that had made Shusei suddenly turn away from him. One second everything had been great and going as it should and then suddenly Shusei had pulled back as if he had suddenly changed his mind and didn’t want him to touch those burns after all. And it was stupid, he knew it, yet Hotsuma couldn’t help but feel as if he had been rejected. Those burns … they were as much his as they were Shusei’s yet Shusei had kicked him out and locked the door, refusing to let him back in. Metaphorically speaking that is as for now he was still there within the infirmary, only a few paces away from Shusei yet there might as well have been an entire country between them as Shusei’s sudden cold shoulder towards him made him feel further away from the brunet than he had ever felt.

 

Hotsuma’s right hand clenched in an angry, disappointed and dejected fist. His nails dug into the flesh of his palm, but he didn’t care. He had been making progress and now he had lost all the steps he had been able to take forward and had been pushed even further backwards than from where he had started. He had fucked up. He had overstepped the boundaries. He had been too familiar with Shusei and it had cost him.

 

With an angry snarl Hotsuma looked away from Shusei. His eyes landed on the pile of clothes on the floor and he crouched down to pick them back up after which he held them out to Shusei. “Your clothes,” he bluntly spoke up. His eyes remained focused on the examining table, stubbornly refusing to focus on Shusei. His heart had already taken in one painful blow. It didn’t need a second one by getting forced to take in the sight of the forbidden treasure standing in front of him.

 

He felt Shusei’s hands accept the uniform, the brunet’s hands still emitting that same low body temperature that was so typical for Shusei and that had brought him within Shusei’s bed long before they had become an item. Him telling himself he just slept in Shusei’s bed to warm his friend’s cold body, yet even then deep down inside of him already knowing it was just an excuse he used to be allowed to be this close to Shusei. He wondered who warmed Shusei’s cold limbs up now. Anath? The thought alone already angered him again and he looked even further aside and away from Shusei, a deep rooted, angry, ember fire burning in his eyes.

 

Shusei noticed Hotsuma’s cross regard yet he preferred to ignore it. Hotsuma Renjou was a puzzle – that was as clear as crystal - yet he wasn’t too sure whether he should try to solve it as something inside of himself told him he’d be opening a certain door behind which demons lay asleep that better remained dormant. Not to mention a certain dark-haired boy who wouldn’t be too pleased if he gave into his desire to solve and crack this intriguing boy’s shell.

 

“Thank you,” Shusei politely answered Hotsuma for the brought over clothes. “Would you mind waiting behind the curtain?” It was a question, yet at the same time it wasn’t one. Hotsuma had spent enough time by Shusei’s side to catch the smallest changes in the brunet’s tone of voice that held hints to what the boy in front of him truly meant. He was dismissed and Shusei wouldn’t take a “no” as a reply.

 

Feeling like he had already fucked up things enough without having to add a brawl with Shusei to the list, Hotsuma complied and pushed the curtain aside before he stepped past it and then pushed it back in place. His fingers had just left the curtain’s material when the door of the infirmary swung open and Anath came rushing in.

 

The black-haired youth immediately stopped dead in his tracks as he came face to face with Hotsuma. His blue eyes darkened to stormy pools and his mouth set in an angry line. “I can take it from here, Renjou,” he spoke up, his tone of voice holding a chill to it that would have been enough to freeze an entire lake. “Mrs Mato is waiting for you in her office. You’d better not keep her waiting. You’re already in enough trouble as it is,” he continued as he brushed past Hotsuma, his shoulder colliding in a violent manner with Hotsuma’s and making the blond take a stumbling step backwards as he hadn’t expected the attack.

 

Hotsuma immediately pulled himself together again and whirled on the ball off his feet towards the curtain. His hands were raised in shaking fists and his face was set in a scowl while his eyes spat fire. The only recipient of his glare however was the curtain as Anath had already disappeared behind it and had joined Shusei. His concerned voice floated over from behind the curtain as the black-haired boy asked Shusei how the other was feeling.

 

Hotsuma gave a final glare to Anath’s silhouette behind the curtain before he twisted around and stalked out of the room.

 

TBC

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: graphic scene at the end of the chapter. If you want to skip, I added a note within the chapter itself too so you know where to stop reading this chapter. And don't worry, you'll still be able to easily follow the story without reading it.

Chapter 9:

“Renjou Hotsuma!”

 

Hotsuma looked uninterested up to the person whom had just uttered his name as if he were in some deep trouble. Next to the table stood Harada, glaring down at him. Her hands were in her side and a scowl marred her face.

 

“Do you mind explaining to me why you didn’t go see Mrs. Mato after gym class?” Harada continued, giving her best impression of a mother whom was scolding her kid that had just been busted with its hand in the cookie jar.

 

“What’s it to you?” he shot back in a dull voice, making it perfectly clear to the girl he wasn’t at all interested in having this conversation with her. His eyes returned to someone much more interesting who was sitting a few tables further together with the rest of the school committee and whom was having lunch with them.

 

“I am the class representative of our class in case you have forgotten and when you didn’t show up in Mrs. Mato’s office, she came to find me for an explanation. Of course I couldn’t give her one as I had no idea why you had blown her off since you weren’t even in class for the rest of the morning. Your attitude reflects on me, Renjou, as your class representative. What kind of message went across do you think when Mrs. Mato wanted to know where you were and I couldn’t tell her? Mrs. Mato is now convinced I am incapable of running our class!”

 

Absentminded Hotsuma wondered why Harada acted all high and mighty just because she was on the school committee. Shusei had never done that to any other student and he too was on the school committee. Not that the answer truly interested Hotsuma. There was only person here he was interested in and that person was currently doing a very convincing show of eating while in reality as good as nothing of the disappearing food from the plate actually made it into the brunet’s mouth.

 

“So?” Hotsuma replied bored, wanting Harada to just go away. She was like some annoying fly that kept buzzing around your head and made you go mental from the sound.

 

“So?!” Harada repeated disbelieving and with an obvious hint of disappointment that Hotsuma wasn’t listening to anything she said. “So, this is only your second day here and you have already earned a month’s worth of detention. It’s some sort of a new record.”

 

Hotsuma’s attention finally shifted back to Harada but the look he sent her was feral. Against her own will, Harada took a step backwards before she realized what she was doing and stopped. She remained where she was and faced Hotsuma bravely head on as the blond had gotten out of his seat. Hotsuma’s eyes flicked for a second again to something to Harada’s left before he brushed past her. “For you, maybe,” he replied as he passed her. “For me, this is just daily business.”

 

Harada turned and gazed after Hotsuma’s retreating figure with eyes that blinked from disbelief. Why had Hotsuma Renjou truly been transferred to this school? Her attention then shifted to the Murasame siblings. Why had all of them come here during the middle of a school year? Her eyes sought out Shusei’s figure and a frown appeared on her face.

\--------------------------------------------

Shusei paused in his trek to the committee’s classroom as he saw Hotsuma a bit further up ahead leaning against the wall. For a few seconds he entertained the idea of going to his own classroom instead and give the blond a miss, but Hotsuma’s eyes had already snapped open and were transfixed on him. It was already too late to pretend now and it wasn’t like he was some coward whom ran away when the going got tough.

 

Shusei started forward again, intent on passing Hotsuma and ignoring the blond, but as he passed Hotsuma, the blond boy’s hand shot out and curled around his wrist. A cold, diamond hard look pinned Hotsuma down. “Let go,” Shusei ordered.

 

It hurt Hotsuma to be the recipient of a regard Shusei used to only reserve for the demons they battled, but he wasn’t about to let this deter him from the reason he had sought Shusei out. “Why aren’t you eating?” he asked, anger lacing the undertone of his voice.

 

A small crack appeared in Shusei’s mask, but he quickly schooled it again. “I did eat,” he told Hotsuma coldly, an unvoiced message included in his tone of voice that his eating habits were none of Hotsuma’s business.

 

“Liar,” Hotsuma shot back. Shusei’s eyes narrowed in annoyance. “I saw you,” Hotsuma continued. “You just picked at your food. Crumbling it to bits and pieces to make it appear you were eating but not a single crumb made it actually to your mouth.”

 

Shocked Shusei took a small step backwards, away from the blond whom so easily saw through him. No one before had ever seen through this trick. Not even Anath for whom he seemed to be unable to keep any secret. But this blond boy was even more troublesome as Hotsuma truly saw through him and his lies.

 

Hotsuma’s features softened and he took a step towards Shusei. He lifted his hand to caress Shusei’s cheek but changed his mind at the very last second. His hand fell back useless against his side. “Stop destroying yourself, Shusei.” His golden irises locked with the golden greenish ones of Shusei. “Please start taking better care of yourself. If not for yourself, then, please …”

 

Hotsuma looked away, releasing Shusei’s wrist finally. He had nearly asked Shusei to live for his sake, but he didn’t have that right here now did he? Shusei wasn’t his here.

 

Pain filled eyes lifted again and regarded Shusei before Hotsuma turned away with a frustrated regard, his hands clenching into fists. He started to walk away from Shusei, having said what he wanted to say, but before he rounded the corner of the hallway, he paused. He threw a final glance over his shoulder at Shusei who was still standing where he had left him. “Tell me, Shusei … Do you still play the piano?”

 

Shusei’s eyes widened in shock as Hotsuma’s question flowed over to him. How did the blond know …

\---------------------------------------------------

Shusei’s fingers caressed the keys of the piano.   He hadn’t touched a piano in years anymore, but ever since Hotsuma Renjou had voiced his question this afternoon, a strange longing had filled his heart again. And it had made him seek out the piano that Anath had bought for him but that had remained unused till now.

 

He sat down on the small piano stool and laid his fingers on the keys. There was no sheet music standing in front of him, but he didn’t need any as he closed his eyes and started to play from the heart.

 

The melody started out hesitantly with a mistake here and there but gradually Shusei’s self-confidence grew. The mistakes grew fewer whilst the melody flowed out of the piano, spurred on by his fingers that glided over the piano keys.

 

How could he have ever forgotten how much he had used to love to play?

 

The melody grew in intensity, the sadness the piece expressed taken to a new height.

 

In the doorway to the room stood Anath. When he had gotten home, he had been surprised to hear piano music coming from their apartment. Until now Shusei had pertinently refused to go into the room the piano stood, but as he had followed the sound through the condo, he had indeed found his lover at the piano. Not wanting to disturb Shusei, Anath had remained quiet and just stayed there, looking on and letting the melody flow over him whilst wondering why his lover had chosen such a sad piece.

 

The music talked about dreams one had strived for and reached out towards yet had found those very dreams cruelly downtrodden, reality finally shining in and showing the illusions one had settled for. Showing one hadn’t fulfilled his dreams at all but had accepted something lesser as one had lost his way on his route.

 

The melody ended. Shusei’s fingers stilled on the keys and remained lying there.

 

Silence filled the room, the sound broken by Anath moving forward. He stepped up behind Shusei and hugged the brunet on the piano stool. “I thought you had given up on playing,” Anath whispered, his chin resting on the top of Shusei’s head.

 

Shusei’s right hand came to rest over Anath’s hands and he tilted his head. Anath complied and kissed Shusei on the lips before they returned to their previous being together. Shusei’s fingers absently caressed the piano keys.

 

“What made you want to play again finally,” Anath pressed on.

 

“Something someone said to me today,” Shusei replied, keeping his answer vague which didn’t escape the black-haired boy’s attention.

 

Anath’s arms tightened around Shusei’s form. “How about picking a happier song next time?”

 

Shusei closed the fall. “Maybe. Somehow this song fitted today.”

 

Anath spun Shusei on the piano stool so the brunet faced him now. He crouched down in front of Shusei, bringing himself to eye level with his lover. “Did something happen today?”

 

Shusei let the back of his right hand come to rest gently against Anath’s cheek. “You worry too much,” he answered with a small smile at his lover.

 

Anath frowned. He wasn’t used to Shusei avoiding his questions. “Shusei,’ he started when suddenly his eyes widened. His head swept sideways, eyes narrowing in on the wrist of Shusei’s arm from which the hand lay against his cheek.

 

Realizing his mistake, Shusei tried to pull his arm back, but Anath’s hand shot out like lightning and grabbed the brunet’s wrist in a clenching hold that made Shusei wince. Anath’s eyes went from Shusei’s wrist to the boy’s face. Disbelief and anger swam in his eyes. “Renjou Hotsuma,” he snarled. Without any warning, he released Shusei’s wrist and pushed the offending limb away from him. He got back to his feet and started to pace up and down before he finally stopped again in the middle of the room and looked back at Shusei. “It was him, wasn’t it? He asked you to play again?” Anath’s eyes spat fire and his face was gruelly contorted from rage and hate.

 

“Anath,” Shusei started carefully as he stood up and reached for his lover. “It’s not what you …”

********The next part is a bit graphic. If you want to skip the end of this chapter due to this, feel free to do so. You’ll easily get what happened due to what will be said in next chapter.********

 

Shusei’s sentence got cut off as Anath suddenly moved forward and slammed Shusei with his back against the piano whilst possessively claiming Shusei’s lips.

 

Shusei struggled weakly against the black-haired boy. “Ngh, Anath, no.”

 

Anath didn’t heed Shusei’s protests. He kept Shusei pressed up against the piano whilst he tore Shusei’s shirt open and pushed the material off Shusei’s shoulders. His lips went to the side of Shusei’s neck where his mouth fastened itself on the flesh. His right hand in the mean time travelled lower and unbuckled Shusei’s belt after which he pushed in one fluent motion Shusei’s pants and underpants down. He pulled back from Shusei. “Step out of them,” he ordered huskily.

 

Shusei shook his head. “No, Anath. Not here. Not like …” His protests got cut off again as Anath again pressed his mouth upon his whilst his lover bent him backwards. His feet lost contact with the ground and his pants slipped out of their own accord further downward from where they had been bunched up around his ankles.

 

Anath pulled Shusei back towards him and fumbled with his left hand with the fall of the piano. Once it was open, he pushed Shusei onto the keys with his bare buttocks.

 

Shusei was still searching with his hands for support as Anath’s hands already clasped his hips with bruising force and tilted him so the black-haired boy would be able to penetrate him more easily. The motion made Shusei’s hands crash onto the piano keys, bringing forth a harsh, false sound. Anath leaned into him. “That’s better,” he panted huskily and contently in Shusei’s ear as he freed his own member from the confines of his pants. “This is the music I was talking about.”

 

Anath’s hands gripped Shusei’s legs right under the kneecap and pulled the brunet boy’s legs wide open whilst tilting Shusei even more.

 

“No, Anath, please,” Shusei pleaded a final time in vain as he felt Anath’s member against his entrance.

 

Anath stared back at him with darkened eyes. “You are mine, Shusei,” he snarled possessively as he pushed forward and made Shusei scream out from pain off having something this big forced in him without preparation. “You’d better do well to remember that.”

 

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

“What do you think he’s currently doing?” Hotsuma sat on the couch. One elbow leaned on the arm rest, head cradled in his hand. With his other hand he bounced a small red ball back and forth against the wall. Across the room Tsukumo and Toko shared a look over the table. Homework was sprawled all out in front of them over the wooden surface.

 

“Doing his homework?” Tsukumo ventured. “Just like us or at least like some of us are doing.” His eyes glanced sideways at Hotsuma’s untouched pile of books and papers.

 

Hotsuma snorted. “I guess. Shusei never could leave that stuff alone.”

 

“I’ve been thinking.” Toko put her pen down. “Anath is going to be away for a swimming competition next week. It would be the perfect time to make our move.”

 

Surprised golden eyes landed on her. “Isn’t Shusei going with him to cheer him on?” Hotsuma asked disbelieving.

 

Toko shook her head. “No. Apparently there is some important committee stuff scheduled on the same afternoon. Shusei will be in the school.”

 

“Without his guard dog,” Tsukumo added meaningful.

 

Toko nodded. “It could be our only chance to approach Shusei on his own.”

 

“No,” Hotsuma objected. Two pair of confused eyes looked at him. But before either of the siblings could ask the reason of the blond’s objection, Hotsuma continued. “I don’t want to wait that long. This has already been going on way too long.” His fingers clenched more forcefully around the ball.

 

“Hotsuma,” Toko started carefully. “We’ve only been here for two days so far. You need …”

 

“Must I remind you what Luka said to us?” Hotsuma interrupted Toko. His fingers clenched even harder around the ball. The material of the ball made a small protesting sound to object to the abuse forced upon it. “That bastard may have only taken Shusei away from us a few weeks ago but if he took Shusei to one of those demonic dimensions then …” Another clenching of the blond’s fingers around the ball happened. “Who knows what he has subjected Shusei to already in all this time.”

 

A hand closed itself over Hotsuma’s hand that held the ball. Toko had gotten up from the table and was now crouching in front of him. Her fingers gently coached Hotsuma’s grip to lessen. “Then what do you suggest,” she asked gently, looking up at him and meeting his eyes that were hidden under his bangs.

 

“He still remembers me, I’m sure of it.”

 

“Hotsuma,” Tsukumo interrupted, his tone of voice pitying which angered Hotsuma.

 

Hotsuma pulled his hand forcefully free from under Toko’s hand and jumped to his feet. “Part of him remembers me, okay?” H e regarded the siblings stubbornly and with an unvoiced challenge. “I just need to be able to get him alone long enough.”

 

Toko and Tsukumo regarded each other but kept quiet.

 

Hotsuma started to pace the room. “He remembers me,” he repeated again, finally stopping. He rubbed his forehead with his hand. “I just …” he trailed off, not sure what to say next. Why wasn’t Shusei here with him? His partner always made it seem so easy to come up with a strategy that worked so why couldn’t he? Why couldn’t he form a plan now that it was Shusei that was in need of one? Why in God’s name couldn’t he even do such a simple task as saving his one and only?

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Moonlight fell into the room, illuminating the two figures at the piano. The black-haired boy was sitting on the piano stool, the brunet on his lap and facing him as he cradled the brunet against him whose head lay in the crook of his neck. The brunet was naked and spent. His hair damp from sweat and his eyes closed as he rested against the clothed form off the black-haired boy.

 

“I’m sorry,” Anath said. His voice shattered the silence that had fallen upon them for what seemed to be hours now.

 

Shusei stirred lightly in Anath’s arms but didn’t shift positions.

 

“I don’t know what came over me,” Anath continued. His hand started to draw soothing circles on Shusei’s naked back. “It’s just … I’ve been trying to get you to play the piano again for ages and then when I came home and you were actually playing I was so happy but then … To learn it was due to **him** that you started to play again …” ” Anath’s eyebrows furrowed as he referred to Hotsuma.

 

“I know,” Shusei replied in a soft whisper. His hand came up and petted his lover’s dark hair reassuringly. “It’s okay.”

 

Anath’s hands came to rest on Shusei’s sides and he pushed Shusei gently backwards so he could look his lover in the eye. “No, it’s not, Shusei,” he objected seriously. “I hurt you. I forced you …” Anath bit angrily on his lower lip as he looked away.

 

Shusei’s hand cupped Anath’s chin and he turned the black-haired boy’s face back towards him. “I’m fine, really,” he repeated, no single hint of accusation or hatred present in his eyes. A small smile came to play around his mouth as he tilted his head lightly to the right and continued more humorous. “It’s not like we haven’t done it rough before.”

 

Anath lunged forward and buried his head in the crook of Shusei’s neck.  His arms tightened around the brunet boy’s frame as if he were afraid Shusei would fly away any second now or turn out to be an illusion. “I don’t deserve you,” he whispered brokenly.

 

Shusei curled his own body around Anath’s. “Don’t say that. You are my reason to live.”

 

Anath angled his face lightly and softly placed a kiss in Shusei’s neck. “And you’re mine. “

 

“I know,” Shusei replied, the smile on his face transparent in his tone of voice.

 

Anath pulled back from the embrace and watched his lover with a scowl. “What kind of answer is that?” he demanded mock offended.

 

The smile on Shusei’s face grew and small sparks of mischievousness started to dance in his eyes. “It is kinda hard to resist someone as wonderful like me,” he teased.

 

Anath raised his eyebrows in question. “If I remember correctly, it was you whom was chasing me until I finally took pity on you and caved in.”

 

Shusei’s smile grew. He got off Anath’s lap – resisting the urge to wince as pain sparks shot through his spine cause he didn’t want to upset Anath again - and slapped the other’s buttocks as he passed the black-haired boy. “Have your memory checked, love. You were the one sulking each time I didn’t have my eyes on you.”

 

Anath grinned as he too got up. He caught up to Shusei and draped himself over the brunet, pulling Shusei back flush against his own body. “As if looking at me is such a horrible task.”

 

Shusei shook his head with a laugh. “You’re incorrigible, Anath.”

 

“But you love me anyway,” he wheedled.

 

Shusei turned around in the embrace and looked at the black haired boy. The mirth was gone and Shusei looked deadly serious at his lover. “I love you so much, it hurts my soul.”

 

Anath smiled pleased and then swooped in to claim Shusei’s lips.

 

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

 “Shusei.”

 

“Hm?” Shusei looked over to where his black-haired lover was walking beside him. Anath’s eyes met his, a deadly serious expression in the piercing blue eyes.

 

“I want you to promise me to stay away from Renjou today. No matter what happens, don’t go near him. I don’t care if even a teacher orders you to be nice to that blond. Just stay away from him.”

 

Shusei silently considered his lover’s demand. Anath did have a point to be so suspicious of Renjou Hotsuma. Even Shusei could no longer deny this after yesterday. Not only had the blond somehow known he used to play the piano - a well kept secret - but the blond had also known where his locker had been without him having to tell this to the blond and all that after Renjou Hotsuma only having been in their school for what? Two days?

 

“He knew my locker,” Shusei absentminded voiced as he walked past Anath – whom was holding the door open for him - and stepped into the school’s hallway.

 

Anath released the door, letting it fall shut on its own, and caught up to his brunet lover. “What do you mean?” he asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

 

“Yesterday, when the school’s nurse asked him to go and get my school uniform, Renjou knew which locker was mine without me having to tell him.”

 

Anath looked to the floor as he thought Shusei’s words over. “Maybe he simply saw you put your uniform away yesterday after you had gotten changed for gym,” he suggested, looking straight back at Shusei.

 

“It isn’t about that,” Shusei replied, earning himself a questioning glance from Anath. Both had come at their lockers that were situated beside each other. “Renjou knew my locker combination.”

 

Anath’s eyes narrowed. “Change it,” he ordered. “And this one too,” he nodded at the locker in front of Shusei.

 

Shusei took hold off his combination lock and inserted his new combination. “I already did so yesterday.” He pulled his locker open and froze as inside his locker stood a brown bag. On the bag was a white note attached with a single black word on it: “EAT”

 

Anath paused in his rummaging through his locker’s content as he noticed his lover’s unusual behavior. “What’s the matter? Already forgot your new combination?” he laughed. He leant backwards so he could get a good look at Shusei’s locker but to his great surprise Shusei’s locker wasn’t only open but the brunet also quickly slammed it shut before he could get a good look at the locker’s contents.

 

“It’s nothing,” Shusei weakly smiled. “I’ve only just remembered some committee stuff I had needed to do yesterday and had completely forgotten about.”

 

Anath’s eyes narrowed as he regarded his lover suspiciously.   His hand shot out and grabbed hold of Shusei’s wrist before the brunet could disappear. “Open the locker, Shusei.”

 

“Anath, let …”

 

“Open your locker, Shusei,” Anath repeated in a louder, demanding voice.

 

Shusei stared for a few moments longer at his lover before he relented. He walked back over to his locker and used his new number combination for the second time that day. He didn’t however open the little metal door, but Anath wasn’t about to let himself be deterred by that. He pushed Shusei aside and yanked the locker open himself.

 

The anger Anath had felt before due to his lover obviously hiding something from him got overridden by confusion as his eyes landed on the brown bag. He grabbed hold off the bag and turned towards his lover. “What’s the mea …” Anath paused and his face scrunched up in a disgusted look as he suddenly came to realize whom the owner was of the bag in his hand.

 

“Anath …” Shusei reached out for his lover, wanting to calm the black-haired boy back down but Anath wasn’t in the mood for one of Shusei’s excuses.   He had enough of his lover defending Renjou Hotsuma’s actions. He had enough of Renjou Hotsuma having come into and having disrupted their perfect little life. A look of utter rage flashed on Anath’s face before he turned on his heels and stormed off.

\---------------------------------------------------------

Anath made it in a record time to the classroom. He walked in without knocking and scanned the faces of the surprised looking students inside.

 

“Sagara-san,” Harada came towards him in a hesitating way. “Can I help you in any way?”

 

Anath ignored Harada and impolitely brushed past her, walking straight to his target. He stopped in front of Tsukumo’s desk and dropped the brown bag on it.

 

“Sagara-san?” Tsukumo looked questioningly up at him from where he was sitting behind his desk.

 

“Where is he?” Anath growled out through gritted teeth.

 

Tsukumo blinked innocently with his eyes. “Where is who?”

 

Anath’s flat hand slammed down on Tsukumo’s desk. “Don’t play games with me, Murasame!” he snarled. “Where is that bastard of a Renjou?”

 

Tsukumo’s face cleared up. “Oh. Sorry, he has the bad habit of sleeping in. Do you want me to give him a message from you?”

 

Anath’s eyes flashed dangerously. Tsukumo seemed sincere enough, yet he couldn’t help but feel like he was being played here and that the boy’s innocence was all an act. He leant closer to Tsukumo, resisting the urge to grab the boy by the hem of his shirt and drag him half across the desk towards his own snarling face. “You tell that stalker of a friend of yours that if he dares to come near Usui one more time I’ll have his head.”

 

Tsukumo didn’t waver in the face of Anath’s anger. He regarded the other boy calmly as if they were just having a friendly chat and there hadn’t just been a threat thrown around. “Doesn’t Usui have a say in that?” he asked calmly, managing to ruffle Anath’s feathers even more.

 

The black-haired boy whirled around. “Shusei, tell that idiot here that you …” Anath fell silent. Shusei wasn’t standing behind him. The brunet hadn’t followed him like he had expected his lover to do …

 

Anath faced Tsukumo again, his eyes a blazing pool of hellish, angered fire. “Renjou is warned,” he growled dangerously before he stalked back out of the classroom in search of Shusei.

\---------------------------------------------------

The door to the rooftop slammed open and Hotsuma stepped through it. Behind him was Shusei whom got dragged by the wrist by Hotsuma on to the rooftop.

 

As soon as the cold morning air hit Shusei’s face, the brunet yanked himself free from the grip Hotsuma had on him ever since the blond had intercepted him whilst he had gone after Anath.

 

Shusei took a step backwards, away from Hotsuma whom had turned around and was facing him now, but he remained on the rooftop instead of taking the stairs back downstairs, away from Hotsuma and back to Anath. This game had lasted long enough and Shusei was determined to put an end to it now. He leveled Hotsuma with cold eyes. “Why did you bring me here?! What do you want from me?!” Shusei asked, his glare intensifying and almost making Hotsuma recoil from the threat that lay within Shusei’s regard.

 

It hurt. It hurt Hotsuma to have Shusei look at him like this once again. To have that cold and condescending glare directed again at him when before that regard had only been reserved for those whom had hurt him or where a threat to him. But it had never been directed at him. Not when he had burned those kids. Not when the rest of the world had branded him as a monster. Not when he had burned Shusei. Never had his partner looked at him like this and to have Shusei look at him like that now… It just felt to him like someone was digging his heart out of his chest with a blunt object to increase the already caused pain.  How could things have changed so rapidly?

\------------------------------ flashback ---------------------------------------

The door to the rooftop opened. Hotsuma stepped through it. Behind him was Shusei whom didn’t have a choice but to follow his blond partner as his hand was trapped in Hotsuma’s. This didn’t mean however that Shusei was just going to humor his friend that easily.

 

“Hotsuma, we shouldn’t be here. Classes have already started,” Shusei informed his partner.

 

“I don’t care.” Hotsuma didn’t stop but kept walking towards his destination, a more secluded spot on the roof where they wouldn’t be seen immediately if someone else would happen to step onto the roof. This spot had been Shusei’s before. The place where the brunet escaped to if the school’s responsibilities weighted too much down on him and he wanted a few minutes of alone time. But over time the spot had changed from Shusei’s private heaven to their little heaven.

 

Shusei sighed. “Hotsuma, …”

 

Hotsuma stopped as soon as his name rolled over Shusei’s lips. He released his friend’s hand and faced the brunet.   “Don’t you want to be with me?” he asked, his tone of voice almost holding an accusation.

 

Shusei smiled kindly. His hand reached up and he brought his knuckles to Hotsuma’s cheek where they remained resting against the warm flesh of his partner. “It’s not that,” he started. “You know I would want to spend every, single breathing second with you, but that is simply not an option. We both have responsibilities.”

 

Hotsuma huffed.  “Yuki’s here. He can take his own, damn class notes.”

 

Shusei’s smile turned more fondly, yet his words were uttered sternly. “That’s not what I’m talking about, Hotsuma.”

 

Hotsuma stepped closer to Shusei. “Well, I don’t want to talk to begin with,” he replied huskily. He maneuvered Shusei backwards till the brunet’s back collided softy with the wall. Hotsuma’s hands came to rest on both sides of his friend’s body on the wall, trapping Shusei effectively, and then he closed the final distance between them and let his lips descend upon Shusei’s.

 

Shusei’s arms came up and his hands tangled themselves in the blond tresses of his partner. “You’re simply hopeless,” he breathed against Hotsuma’s lips as they parted for a few moments for some much needed air, but the retort wasn’t vicious at all as sparkles of joy made the golden greenish eyes shine with love and adoration.

\------------------------------ end flashback ------------------------------------------

‘Please look at me like that again, Shusei,’ Hotsuma’s mind pleaded. He couldn’t deal with this contempt.  Not from Shusei.

 

“Don’t look at me like that, Shusei, please,” Hotsuma whispered in a broken voice, his shoulders slumped in defeat and presenting the brunet with a broken form instead of the determined person he had just been.

 

Shusei’s regard softened for a second as he was taken aback by Hotsuma’s emotional plea. The strong looking blond from mere moments ago was gone and what was left was a small, frightened child that radiated loneliness. But then Shusei remembered again how the blond had stepped suddenly in front of him from behind a corner and had dragged him towards here despite his voiced protests. His eyes gained back a hard and cold glance and he took a step forward towards Hotsuma. “I will ask one last time, Renjou. What do you want from me?”

 

Shusei’s dangerous, low voice made Hotsuma look back up at the brunet. Longing swam in his eyes. And pain. How he wanted so much to just be able to reach out and bring his partner back into his arms. “You promised to never leave me,” Hotsuma said in a hushed and intimate tone of voice.

 

Shusei blinked. “Wh-what?!” he asked confused. He had never made such a promise. Hell, he only knew the blond for two days. Why would he make such a vow to a complete stranger? Not even Anath had ever been given these words even though he felt like he’d die if the black-haired boy wouldn’t be by his side anymore. Somehow, that kind of promise had always felt too heavy to him to make to Anath. As if that kind of promise didn’t belong to his lover in some strange unexplainable way.

 

Hotsuma took one step towards Shusei. “Shusei, you don’t belong here. You belong with …” The rest of Hotsuma’s sentence got cut off as suddenly Anath came barreling through the door and slammed straight into Hotsuma. He knocked Hotsuma off his feet with a well aimed punch against the blond’s cheek.

 

“Anath!” Shusei called out in surprise.

 

The black-haired boy positioned himself between Shusei and Hotsuma whom got back to his feet. “Stay back, Shusei,” Anath warned, his eyes never leaving Hotsuma’s form.

 

Hotsuma carefully fingered the place beside his mouth where Anath’s fist had connected with his flesh. Blood tainted his fingers as he pulled them back. Hotsuma regarded the red liquid for a second and then graced Anath with an amused smile. “You punch like a girl.”

 

Anath’s eyes narrowed, the only warning Hotsuma got before the black-haired boy set off and jumped him again.

 

Hotsuma and Anath circled each other, both looking for an opening.

 

Anath threw the first punch.

 

Hotsuma easily ducked it and followed his evasion up with a fist punch off his own that got evaded by Anath.

 

The black-haired youth brought his leg up for a sideway kick that Hotsuma blocked with his arm. His hand grabbed hold off Anath’s ankle and twisted it.

 

Anath let himself fall, following the movement and rolled back into a crouching position, just in time to block with crossed arms the blond’s fist that was directed at his skull.

 

One of Anath’s arms fell out of its defensive position and attacked with a punch to Hotsuma’s gut that made the blond stumble backward. Anath immediately jumped back to his feet and aimed a knee at Hotsuma’s bent over form to connect with the blond’s chin, but a hand appeared before Hotsuma’s face and absorbed the brutal force off Anath’s knee attack.

 

Anath’s eyes flashed upwards and landed upon Shusei’s face. “What the …” Anath stumbled backwards a step, his confusion making place for anger during that movement. “What do you think you’re doing, Shusei?!” He forgot all about Hotsuma as his attention was now completely focused on the brunet whom was standing now slightly in front of the bent over blond and had protected said blond. “I told you not to interfere!” An angry finger got jabbed in Hotsuma’s direction. “That bastard needs a lesson in not to touch what isn’t his!”

 

“He isn’t yours,” Hotsuma coughed, making Anath frown for a second at Hotsuma before the black-haired boy focused again on Shusei whom had taken a step towards him.

 

“This isn’t the way, Anath,” Shusei said calmly. “Let’s just talk to him. This has …”

 

“Talk?!” Anath roared disbelieving. “That bastard has done nothing but cause trouble for us! He’s obsessed with you for some reason and you just want to talk to him?! He is bloody crazy! He needs to be locked away, key tossed out! Or have some sense punched into him and I am more than willing to help with that later part!”

 

Anath made a move towards Hotsuma, but Shusei stepped more firmly in his way.

 

“Shusei,” Anath growled. “I’ll only say this one more time, get out of the way.” Anath leveled his lover with a threatening glare as he punctuated ever single word of his demand separately.

 

Shusei shook his head. “No. It’s enough. You’ve already done enough,” he stated firmly.

 

Anath regarded Shusei disbelieving. His eyebrows furrowed. “You’re choosing him over me?” he asked hurt.

 

“Anath,” Shusei shook his head saddened. His hand came to rest on Anath’s shoulder. “It’s not like that. I …”

 

“Screw you!” Anath roared, shaking Shusei’s hand violently off his shoulder. He stalked to the door, only pausing there for a second before he disappeared through it. “I hope you’ll be happy together!”

 

Shusei called after his lover, but the black-haired youth’s steps kept moving further and further away from them on the stairs.

 

Shusei sighed. He glanced over his shoulder at Hotsuma for a second to make sure the blond wouldn’t keel over due to Anath’s punch. He knew the power Anath packed and in all honesty, he was surprised to see Renjou still standing.

 

Convinced Hotsuma would be fine on his own, Shusei started to move towards the door that would give way to the staircase and would bring him off the roof.

 

“Hey! Where are you going?!” Hotsuma winced as he straightened himself back up. One of his arms was cradling his stomach.

 

Shusei paused and looked over his shoulder with a regard that told Hotsuma nothing as once again the brunet’s mask was firmly in place. “What do you think?” he asked before pushing the door open and descending the stairs.

 

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

“You didn’t have to come with me.” Shusei glanced sideways. Hotsuma Renjou was walking beside him. The blond’s head was bowed, his body slowly hunched forward, hands stuffed in his pockets and he was kicking a small pebble forward. Hotsuma Renjou portrayed the classical kid whom was dragged by his parents to some appointment or family gathering the kid would have preferred to avoid and had been threatened into by its parents. At his words, the blond however curiously glanced sideways at him.

 

“So …” Hotsuma started, “how do you know where he is?”

 

“I just do,” Shusei replied short and simple. His gaze was again focused forward instead of on Hotsuma anymore.

 

\------------------- flashback---------------------------

A bruised and battered Hotsuma looked up from where he was sitting on the pavement under the bridge. A boy around his age was standing in front of him. He had brown hair and wore the same school uniform as him.

 

“How did you know where I was,” Hotsuma asked.

 

The brunet boy smiled and bent towards him, his hand outstretched in offering towards Hotsuma. “I heard you calling me.”

\---------------------- end flashback -----------------------------

 _Is this how you know, Shusei? Is he now the one calling you?_ Pain flared up in Hotsuma’s heart and he glanced away from the brunet walking beside him. Takashiro had told them this wouldn’t be an easy task to accomplish, yet Hotsuma had never imagined it to be this painful to be near Shusei whilst not being able to connect with the boy anymore.

 

“Why do you keep stalking me with food?”

 

Shusei’s voice brought Hotsuma back out of his contemplating.   “Why do you keep refusing to eat?” he shot back.

 

Their eyes locked and for a while they held each other’s gaze until Shusei broke the eye contact. Hotsuma looked a bit longer at Shusei’s side profile before he brought his hand up and raked it through his hair. He sighed and looked embarrassed away.   “Listen,” he spoke up, “you need to stop pulling this crap. It’s unhealthy.”

 

“I’m fine,” Shusei replied stubbornly.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes shot back to Shusei whom refused to meet his regard. “Liar.”

 

Shusei took a few steps more before he stopped and whirled towards Hotsuma, halting the blond’s forward motion in the process.

 

“What’s it to you?” Shusei challenged, his eyes narrowing but this time there was no anger behind the gesture. “I mean, why do you care?” There was genuine interest in his eyes.

 

A small spark of pain appeared in Hotsuma’s eyes due to Shusei clearly not remembering him anymore. If the brunet did, questions like this would be unnecessary.

 

Hotsuma took a step closer to Shusei, the brunet holding his own and not stepping backwards but allowing the closer contact. “I will always care about you, Shusei. Worry. Fret … You look so strong, Shusei, but I know. I know you better than that. I know how frail you truly are. How scared you are. How lonely.” Hotsuma reached out to caress Shusei’s cheek but the brunet quickly brought his own arm up and deflected the gesture. Hotsuma’s arm fell back down useless and he lowered his eyes to the pavement. “Are you having sex with him?” Hotsuma hated to ask this question. He didn’t want to know the answer yet he knew he had to know.

 

Shusei regarded the blond in front of him coldly. “That’s none of your business,” he stated in a tone of voice as if Hotsuma was indeed a random stranger he had just happened to chance upon in the street and had no right to know anything about his life.

 

It pained Hotsuma to feel the distance Shusei kept between them yet at the same time it also angered him and as always it was his anger that won out. When hurt, he lashed out. He wasn’t the type to go and sit in a corner and cry.

 

Hotsuma’s head shot up and he pinned Shusei down with a smoldering gaze. “Yes, it is!” he replied hotly. “Shusei,” Hotsuma grabbed the brunet’s wrist, intending on coming clean despite Takashiro’s warning and order. “I am …”

 

“Look out!” Shusei pushed Hotsuma backwards at the same time as the words left the brunet’s mouth.

 

Hotsuma staggered backwards, lost his footing and fell on his butt. His eyes were wide open in shock, but not due to Shusei’s sudden violent gesture but due to the giant crater that had appeared right where they had just been standing. His eyes quickly scanned the area and landed on a giant beast that stood a few feet away from him. A brilliant light shone within its beak and before Hotsuma had time to react, a light pulse shot out of the creature’s beak.

 

A hand wrapped itself around Hotsuma’s upper arm and dragged the blond upwards and out of the beam’s way. “What the …” Hotsuma started to speak shocked as he landed together with his savior - Shusei - on the ground again.

 

“Stay here,” Shusei ordered but Hotsuma grabbed the boy’s wrist and stopped him from moving away from him again. Golden green eyes glanced backwards at Hotsuma, an unspoken question in them. The blond’s eyes held a determined fire and he stepped forward, aligning himself beside the Shusei.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?”

 

“Helping. What does it look like?” Hotsuma shot back.

 

“Have you lost your mind? What good do you think you’ll be against that thing?” Shusei asked incredulously.

 

Hotsuma looked in the direction the other gestured. The creature was harnessing a new bout of energy in its beak to shoot at them, but now he would be ready for it. The demonic creature looked gruesomely powerful with its head of a bird, powerful body of an ox, legs and arms of a panther and a hissing snake tail that had three heads, but the creature’s appearance didn’t fool Hotsuma. This demon was nothing more than a low level demon. Even Tsukumo would be able to take the stupid creature out.

 

Hotsuma stepped in front of Shusei. “I’ve got this.” His words weren’t yet cold or the creature launched its next attack.

 

The beam came right for them and while he dived left, Shusei dived right but this time the beam didn’t impact on the ground. The beam divided itself in two and one of each part went straight after them like some heat-seeking missile.

 

Hotsuma jumped again out of the smaller beam’s path but the beam followed his movement and closed in on him. He brought his arms up in a cross in front of his face to protect himself against the impact but while the sound of the impact vibrated within his skull, he didn’t feel a thing. He lowered his arms and his eyes widened as he stared at the world in front of him now through a blue shield that flickered and then disappeared again.

 

His eyes immediately shot to the right where he had last seen Shusei, but the boy was no longer there. The brunet was in the trees, using the branches to make a quick way towards the demonic creature. In Shusei’s both hands was a transparent looking sword.

 

The demon attacked the trees Shusei was in - realizing were currently the biggest threat lay - but Shusei easily avoided the attacks and had already jumped to the next tree before the tree behind him went down. The brunet boy however was running out of trees as there was only one tree line planted beside the road, but Shusei had apparently calculated this in. His final jump out of the last nearby tree landed him right in front of the demon. His swords went backwards and then came forward in a crossing gesture towards the demon.

 

Blood splayed out of the upon the monster inflicted wound accompanied by a pained and angered cry of the demon. It took one staggering step backwards, but its three headed snake tail swung forward, straight for Shusei’s face.

 

“Shusei!” Hotsuma called out in warning but the brunet was already on it. The swords in the boy’s hands disappeared and after a few called forth words three spears of light shot out of the ground, beheading the three snakes before they could reach Shusei. Immediately after the three spears fanned out and a shield appeared that deflected the roaring punch of the demonic creature.

 

The demon released another booming cry and to Hotsuma’s shock the demon multiplied. Left and right of the creature appeared a new, perfect, unharmed copy of the original demon.

 

Shusei took a step backwards. His shield disappeared and his two swords materialized again in his hands. The three creatures in front of him released another booming cry and again they multiplied, each creating two copies of themselves and like this forming a formidable army of nine low level demons.

 

“Shusei!” Hotsuma called out again, running over towards the brunet boy.

 

Shusei spared Hotsuma a quick glance before focusing again on the threat in front of him. “What the hell are you still doing here?! Get away! Run!”

 

“No!”

 

A look of disbelief was Hotsuma’s answer that transformed in shock and confusion as Hotsuma produced a ring out of his pocket, slipped it on his finger and then called out his weapon’s name. “Master stroke!” The ring started to glow before a heavy, brilliant sword materialized in Hotsuma’s awaiting hand.

 

“You’re …” Shusei’s eyebrows furrowed, the brunet trying to come up with an explanation, an answer to this sudden, unexpected event. Hotsuma ignored the brunet’s question for now.   There were more important things to take care off for the moment. Their talk could come later.

 

Hotsuma raced past Shusei, placed himself in a protective stand in front of Shusei and then lashed out at the demons. “Dark fiends of the blackest pit- BURN!” He made a slashing motion that sent a destructive wave towards the demonic army. The air wave caught fire as it closed in on the monsters.

 

Two of the creatures moved too slow and got caught in the fire but the other seven evaded the attack. They jumped upwards and landed in a circle around the two boys.

 

Hotsuma took a step backwards and his back collided with Shusei’s. “So … what’s the plan?” Hotsuma asked.

 

“Who says I have one?”

 

Hotsuma raised an inquiring eyebrow in laughter, his eyes still trained on the creatures in front of him. “When don’t you?”

 

A small grin appeared on Shusei’s face. Even though the blond’s abilities had just surprised him and he had now even more questions regarding one certain Renjou Hotsuma than he had before, he couldn’t help but feel like this was right. It felt familiar and felt right to be here with the blond. And even though he also had no clue about how far the blond’s power and abilities reached, part of him knew he could trust the blond to hold his own. Hotsuma Renjou wasn’t some innocent that needed protection. He was a fighter you could count on.

 

“Can you narrow your power down to one target?” Shusei asked.

 

“If that’s what you need.”

 

“Good. When I say “jump”, you jump upward. Unleash your power right afterwards. Concentrate on the damaged one. He is the key. I’ll keep the rest occupied.”

 

Behind him Hotsuma could hear Shusei start to summon his orbs and so he prepared himself, knowing instinctively when Shusei would call out to him. His feet already propelled him from the ground as Shusei’s summon ended and the brunet told him to get out of the circle.

 

He floated for a second above the circle he had just stood in and saw the field underneath him turn blue, the signal that Shusei’s power would shoot out any second now.

 

The creatures themselves were unaware of the danger they were in. All they saw was Shusei left alone in their midst and as good as unarmed. An easy prey. Hotsuma smirked. If only those stupid demons had an inkling of an idea how dangerous Shusei truly was …

 

Hotsuma brought his sword up and unleashed his own attack on the damaged demonic creature.

 

The demonic creature felt the heat of Hotsuma’s attack approaching him and it lifted its head and called out an order to his copies to come and protect it. But before any of them could make a move, Shusei’s power shot out of the ground and staked all of them, binding them effectively to the spot they’d been standing.

 

An ear piercing scream sounded as Hotsuma’s attack engulfed the leader of the small army in flames. Fire danced all around and on the demon’s flesh. Its flesh darkened, melted, oozed …

 

The creature released a new and different sound. Its copies all started to flash in and out of existence for a few seconds before they dissolved into green energy sparkles that floated over to the burning creature. They descended down upon the original creature and extinguished Hotsuma’s flames whilst also healing the worst burns the demon had sustained.

 

Hotsuma landed back on the ground and prepared to unleash a second attack on the still standing creature when the demon lunged for Shusei whom was still unarmed as he hadn’t called back yet his energy spears into the form of his swords.

 

“SHUSEI!” Hotsuma roared, setting off and also heading for the brunet in the hopes of being fast enough to intercept the demon before it would reach the brunet boy. He however immediately realized he wouldn’t make it in time and so he brought his sword backwards, calling upon his power whilst praying his aim wouldn’t be off and hit Shusei instead.

 

But before Hotsuma could unleash his own attack, a strong gust of wind raced over the field in the form of a razor sharp, straight line. Dust kicked up where the wind passed. It narrowly avoided Shusei and collided with the demon that released an enraged cry before it stumbled backwards and then fell apart in two pieces. The two segments exploded and disappeared before they hit the ground and not a single trace of the demon was left behind.

 

Hotsuma came to a sudden stop and stared in disbelief at the black-haired boy that stood a few feet away from where the demon had just stood. The boy’s back was towards him and Shusei yet Hotsuma easily recognized him. He didn’t need the black-haired boy to turn around and walk over to Shusei to know whom he was dealing with here.

 

As the boy walked over to Shusei, the sunlight got caught on the fencing-sword the boy had used to split the demonic creature in two and defeat it. Hotsuma stared at the weapon when suddenly before his eyes the fencing-sword started to shimmer and vanished, returning back to the ring the black-haired boy wore on a necklace around his neck. A ring that had remained hidden till now as it was kept out of sight by the boy’s clothing material yet now, due to the momentarily glowing, the ring’s existence had been betrayed to him and anyone else whom would have been here to witness the glowing object under the boy’s shirt.

 

Hotsuma followed in shock how the black-haired boy reached Shusei and exchanged a few words with the brunet before both of them turned their attention on him and came over to him.

 

“It looks like I owe you a thanks for keeping Shusei safe and alive till I could get here.”

 

The black-haired boy reached out a hand towards Hotsuma, but Hotsuma just stared at the extended hand, unable to move anymore. His eyes slowly lifted and travelled over the boy’s figure till he stared straight into the crystal clear blue eyes.

 

 

What the hell was going on here?! How in God’s name was this possible? How could Anath Sagara possess a Zweilt ring if he was the demon whom had kidnapped Shusei and held his partner captive here?

 

TBC

 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

Tense silence reigned in the spacious living room of Anath and Shusei’s flat. Shusei was sitting in a single-person armchair that faced the three person armchair on which the Murasame siblings sat with Hotsuma. Anath was standing beside Shusei’s armchair. On the coffee table between Shusei’s armchair and the occupied three person armchair stood coffee and tea. It remained untouched..

 

“So,” Toko finally breached the silence, “you too are a Zweilt?” she asked carefully, her eyes directed at Anath.

 

Anath nodded, but it was Shusei whom answered verbally. “He has the talent ‘God’s touch’ also known as ‘The one whom can feel everything’. “

 

Shusei looked up for a second and met Anath’s eyes. A small, warm smile got shared between the two of them which put a sour expression on Hotsuma’s face. The blond crossed his arms defensively in front of himself as he glared at the couple and more specifically at the black-haired part of the duo. “Well, I’ve never heard of that talent or a Zweilt like that,” he answered rudely.

 

Toko’s attention immediately shifted swiftly to the blond beside her. “Hotsuma,” she scolded after which she threw Anath an apologetic look.

 

Anath however didn’t let Hotsuma’s rude behavior get to him. He laughed goodheartedly and scratched the back of his head. “Guess I’m still rather new to all of this. A first generation so to speak. Shusei even had to explain things to me as I had never even heard of Zweilts or these God talents. I thought I was just a freak.”

 

“And why don’t you have golden eyes?” Hotsuma continued with narrowed, suspicious eyes focused on Anath. “Zweilts all have a golden shine in their eyes but you don’t.”

 

A new smile played around Anath’s eyes. “Contact lenses. You’d be amazed what you can do these days with contact lenses. You can even have purple eyes if you want to. But if you’ll hang on for a second …” Anath walked out off the room and when he returned golden eyes stared back at them from under the mop of black-hair. “Satisfied?” he directed at Hotsuma. “I switched to normal contact lenses.”

 

Hotsuma crossly looked away from the black-haired boy. He didn’t care what Anath Sagara said or did or who he truly was. Point was that he had his claws in Shusei whilst Shusei was his. Or at least had been his …

 

Hotsuma peeked from under his blond bangs at Shusei. Anath had settled himself on the arm rest of Shusei’s chair and one of his hands lay on Shusei’s knee with the brunet leaning slightly subconsciously towards the black-haired boy. They looked so comfortable around each other, so at ease, and it pained Hotsuma as it only mocked his own shared memories with Shusei. His partner had never been this comfortable around anyone else but him yet here they were with Shusei not at all minding Sagara’s closeness but in fact even seeking out closer contact himself. Hotsuma looked with a huff away again from the happy couple.

 

“Are there more Zweilts trapped here?” Tsukumo leant slightly forward in interest.

 

Shusei and Anath shared a look before Shusei focused back on them and answered. “Not that we know off.”

 

“If there are, we haven’t met them yet,” Anath added. “But what do you mean with ‘trapped’?”

 

Now it was Tsukumo and Toko’s turn to share a look.

 

“We didn’t come here by accident,” Tsukumo explained, focusing back on Shusei and Anath.

 

“We’re here to save Shusei,” Toko added.

 

Anath and Shusei traded a confused and worried look.

 

“Save him?” Anath voiced the question on both of their mind. “Save him from what or whom?”

 

Hotsuma brusquely stood up. He had enough of this little charade. If Anath was truly a Zweilt like he claimed to be, the black-haired boy would get the hint. “Shusei is **my** partner,” he spoke up hotly, stressing the possessional pronoun.

 

Anath immediately copied the action and shot also to his feet. “Now wait a minute …” but Hotsuma didn’t let him finish.

 

The blond took a step closer to the other youth, the coffee table the only barrier still separating them. “Shusei’s been my partner for centuries. We were already together way before you came peeping around the corner.”

 

Anath’s eyes narrowed in annoyance. “If that’s true, then why doesn’t he remember you?!” he shot back, riled up and challenging, leaning forward towards Hotsuma.

 

“He does!” Hotsuma’s volume had gone up a few notches and his tone of voice defied Anath to pretend differently.

 

“Oh yeah?” Anath’s eyebrows rose in a mocking questioning gesture. “So why is he still with me then if you are supposed to be his knight in shining armor?!”

 

“How would I know?!” Hotsuma roared back. “You probably fucking brainwashed him!” He leant with his upper body over the coffee table towards Anath, ready to take this verbal fight to the next level.

 

Anath opened his mouth to snap back but a loud bang made him turn his attention from Hotsuma to Shusei. The brunet had just picked up the book he had been reading before from the coffee table and had slammed it forcefully back down on to the wooden surface. He leveled both Anath and Hotsuma with a cold, threatening glare.

 

“ **He** ,” Shusei punctuated the word, “is right here in the room with you two idiots and would appreciate it if you stopped going at each other like two dumb cavemen who try to decide who’ll get to drag the wife by the hair back to the cave. I am a living and breathing person. I can decide for myself. And to be honest, currently neither of you seems very appealing.”

 

Anath shot Hotsuma a glare that told the blond that Shusei’s sour mood was Hotsuma’s fault. Hotsuma however ignored Anath. He deflated and flopped back down on the couch - which he had been sharing with the Murasame siblings - whilst muttering something that sounded like an apology. Tsukumo and Toko grinned at each other. No matter where they were or what had happened, Shusei still held the reins to Hotsuma.

 

But then the siblings sobered up again and Toko directed her attention on Shusei. “Is it true what Anath says, Shusei? Do you not remember us at all? Not anything?”

 

Shusei threw a hesitant and slightly nervous look in Anath’s direction. The black-haired youth had walked over to the large window in the living room. He had his back turned towards them and gazed stubbornly outside in a sulking manner. Shusei sighed and let his eyes travel back to Tsukumo and Toko. He gave a quick, hesitant glance towards Hotsuma and then let his eyes settle on Toko. “No. I’m sorry. Yes, I do admit that Renjou-kun sets off a vague familiarity inside of me, but nothing significant.”

 

Hotsuma winced as Shusei referred to him as Renjou-kun instead of using his first name. It was as if they truly were strangers towards one another …

 

“Don’t lie, Shusei.” Anath’s saddened but determined sounding words made everyone focus on the black-haired youngster whom had slightly turned around and was gazing at Shusei now.

 

Shusei shook his head. “Anath …” he protested softly.

 

“Tell them about your dreams, Shusei. Tell them about,” Anath’s eyes shifted to Hotsuma and his next words held a resigned note to them. “Tell them about him. How he has been haunting you.”

 

Hope flared up in Hotsuma’s heart. It didn’t matter that it had been brought there by his arch nemesis. It only mattered that it existed and that he had been right. He had been right! Hotsuma felt like jumping up and doing a small victory dance. Shusei did still remember him. Shusei still fucking remembered him!

 

Shusei’s eyes sought contact with Anath’s. “Are you sure?” he asked softly, knowing how this topic would hurt his lover.

 

Anath gave a small saddened smile. “No,” he said in a shaking voice that betrayed the painfulness of the matter to Anath, “but we need to get this sorted out and if they can help us do that …”

 

Shusei nodded and then returned his focus on the siblings and Hotsuma after having given Anath a small smile that promised the black-haired boy that everything would be all right even if he himself had no clue yet as to how. “The dreams started a few weeks ago. The circumstances are always different but instead of Anath being by my side, it’s Renjou-kun. They all seem to situate themselves around the same age I have now but there are also thoughts about a shared childhood with Renjou-kun and …” Shusei hesitated. His eyes moved to Hotsuma. The blond’s eyes were completely on him, looking hungry as if the blond were a starving child and he was somehow a plate of food Renjou wanted to devour.

 

Shusei gave a final glance at Hotsuma and then refocused on Toko and Tsukumo, finding it easier to tell the next part without staring directly at the subject at hand. He did however keep a careful eye on Hotsuma’s reactions from the corner of his eyes. “And when Renjou-kun touches me, I don’t know how to explain it exactly but the feeling carries over into my wakeful state. As if he had truly been here and touched my arm or so.” Shusei refused to tell about the blond’s lips that he had felt on more than one occasion on some part of his body. Somehow he had the feeling it would only worsen the situation. Would fuel Renjou’s obvious interest in him.

 

“Could it be that Anath maybe touched you by accident and that you transferred this into your dream?” Tsukumo asked.

 

“No,” Anath replied quick and harshly. He untangled his arms that he had crossed in a defensive gesture in front of him and stepped back closer to them. “It’s Renjou’s touch. I could sense it too thanks to my talent. I have no idea how he managed it, but somehow he was truly there each time.” Anath’s eyes stared accusingly at Hotsuma.

 

Toko and Tsukumo looked at each other, seemingly silently discussing with each other what they had just been told.

 

“Well,” Toko started thoughtfully, “the timeframe of the dreams does correspond with the moment around which Shusei disappeared.   I doubt that’s a coincidence.”

 

“Wait up,” Anath interrupted, taking a step towards Toko, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What’s all this about Shusei having disappeared and what you said earlier about Zweilts being trapped here and you guys having come to save Shusei? Shusei has been here the entire time. He’s been with me since childhood. How can he have been in two places at the same time?”

 

“We know it’s confusing,” Tsukumo replied. He leant forward, placed his elbows on his knees and rested his chin on his folded hands. “We’ve already heard from your fellow classmates about your shared past, yet it’s paradoxical. If Shusei grew up with us, then he can’t have grown up with you, Anath. And the same applies the other way around. If Shusei grew up here with Anath, then that means he couldn’t have grown up with Hotsuma and the rest of us. There is only one possible explanation here.” He glanced sideways at his sister who continued.

 

“We believe someone erased Shusei’s memories and replaced them by false ones. That would explain why he doesn’t remember any of us anymore.” Toko looked from Shusei to Anath. “Hotsuma isn’t lying. He and Shusei have been partners for as long as any of us can remember.”

 

“Now hold on, who says our memories are the false ones? Maybe yours are the fake ones,” Anath objected.

 

Hotsuma growled. “I have memories worth of several lifetimes with Shusei. Can you say the same thing?”

 

Anath’s eyes flicked to Hotsuma and then to Shusei. Hesitation swam in his golden orbs.

 

“It can,” Shusei replied. His hand came to rest on Anath’s wrist and he gave the black-haired boy a reassuring squeeze.  “I don’t know what we are dealing with here, but there is no guarantee that the ones at fault here aren’t you. Or maybe we all have false memories and are we all being played with.”

 

Tsukumo nodded. “Shusei has a point. We need to find the Opast behind all of this. We’ll only get clarity if we take the demon out of the picture.”

 

“Which means we’re back to square one since Anath isn’t the Opast as we thought,” Toko sighed.

 

Anath’s eyes went wide open. “You thought I was some freaking demon?” he demanded unbelieving.

 

Tsukumo smiled apologetic. “We weren’t a hundred percent sure, but there were hints that led in your direction.”

 

“Like what?!” Anath asked flabbergasted, still unable to believe they had mistaken him with a hellish monster.

 

“How about your possessiveness over Shusei?!” Hotsuma shot back, unafraid to say the truth or trying to paint it prettier as it was. “You wanted to keep him away from us. You didn’t allow us near him,” he accused.

 

Anath groaned and sank back down defeated on the arm rest of Shusei’s chair. “I should have known this would come back to bite me in the ass.”

 

Shusei smiled amused at his lover before explaining. “We actually believed Renjou to be an Opast. That’s why Anath wanted to keep him away from me.”

 

“What?!” Hotsuma shot to his feet, his eyes wide and staring disbelieving at Shusei. “How the hell could you ever think I’d be an Opast?!”

 

Shusei calmly regarded Hotsuma. “Well, there were the unexplainable dreams about you, not to mention how you seemed to know things about me you shouldn’t have been able to know.”

 

“We were convinced you were using some demonic trick or so to unbalance Shusei before you would attack us,” Anath added. “If I had known that we’re on the same side, I would never have treated you that rudely.”

 

“Yeah, right,” Hotsuma muttered, sinking back down into the cushions of the couch. His tone of voice clearly betrayed that he didn’t believe a word of what Anath had just said.

 

“It’s the truth, Renjou.” Anath leveled Hotsuma with a stern expression. “Yes, it’s true that I don’t like the fact that you are here to take Shusei away from me and part of me still wants you as far away as possible from Shusei, but if pushing you away means I’ll put Shusei’s life in danger …” He shook his head. “I may not like it, but I will do anything in my power to keep Shusei safe and unharmed. Even if it means having to work together with you.”

 

Shusei looked up at Anath, a shimmer of proudness for Anath in his eyes. His lover answered the regard with an affectionate smile of his own whilst his hand took hold of Shusei’s and squeezed it gently.

 

Hotsuma huffed and looked angrily away from the happy couple. What was next? A declaration of eternal love? A marriage proposal? Shusei was his damn it! Not that stupid Zweilt imposer’s!

 

“Okay,” Anath nodded. “I think it’s best that we put everything we know together and start from there. What do you guys know?” He looked expectantly at Toko and Tsukumo, ignoring the dark and brooding Hotsuma in the corner whom had just discovered yet a new reason to hate Anath … cause where in the hell did that newbie find the nerve to take the lead here and direct their moves? That bastard was just a rookie. They were the experts here. He couldn’t however say something about it as - as much as he hated to admit it - the Shusei stealer did have a point and only had voiced what any one of them would have probably also suggested. Which annoyed Hotsuma even more as this meant that Shusei’s new partner was some kind of natural talent which meant that if he wasn’t careful, Shusei wouldn’t even want him back anymore after all of this would be over cause Shusei would find in that Sagara bastard a way better partner.

 

Hotsuma’s hands clenched in painful fists, but that pain was nothing in comparison to the fear he felt off losing Shusei. He had already lost the brunet two times, both times by his own fault; he couldn’t handle a third time. He needed his partner back by his side. Needed Shusei back in his arms. Needed the brunet’s love to brighten and light up his world again. Without Shusei by his side, he was only half.

 

Suddenly a hand he knew better than his own hand closed itself over one of his clenched fists. Hotsuma looked up in surprise and stared right into Shusei’s face. The brunet smiled gently at him. “You’re hurting yourself,” Shusei spoke calmly, making Hotsuma look down at his hands and notice that his nails were indeed digging into the flesh of the palm of his hand, drawing blood.

 

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” Shusei released Hotsuma’s hand and straightened back to his full height. He glanced over his shoulder at Anath.

 

The black-haired youth regarded Hotsuma, a dark, unreadable expression in his eyes, but finally his eyes settled back on his lover and he nodded, giving his okay. “I’ll fill you in later on,” he said.

 

Shusei gave Anath a grateful smile before he led Hotsuma out of the living room towards the bathroom.

 

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

Shusei rummaged in the medicine cabinet for the necessary supplies whilst Hotsuma was holding his hands under the gentle flow of water coming out of the faucet from the washbasin. The brunet had no idea why it had bothered him so much to have seen Renjou hurt himself and look so pained and lost, nor had he any idea of what to say to the blond now. He had no idea how to console Renjou as he knew he couldn’t offer the other the words the blond was craving to hear. But even so … this didn’t mean that he wouldn’t try to take the hurt away Renjou was obvious in. The blond wasn’t made to be sad. He had to shine. Smile and be happy. Shusei had no idea where that thought came from, but what he did know was that it felt right. Even if he hadn’t really seen Renjou with a happy grin, he somehow knew a grin belonged on that face. A happy, carefree smile that reached the blond’s eyes and made those golden eyes sparkle and shine brighter than any sun ever could.

 

A small, warm feeling spread through him as he imagined Renjou smiling like that at him but with a confused frown he shook it off him. He had Anath. He loved Anath with every fiber off his body. There was no reason to think about anyone else. Hell, it was even wrong to think about anyone else.   No, he wouldn’t cheat on Anath. Not now and not ever.

 

Shusei gathered the collected supplies and brought them over to the washbasin. He placed them on the porcelain rim after which he closed the faucet and dabbed Hotsuma’s hands dry. He kept his eyes firmly rooted on the blond’s hands whilst trying to do his damned hardest not to get distracted by the pleasant warmth that spread itself from Renjou’s hands through him. He grabbed the disinfectant ointment and squeezed a small amount on his finger. He gently took with his other hand one of Hotsuma’s abused hands and held it to the light so he could see what he was doing. “This may sting a bit,” he warned before starting to apply gently the ointment on the half moon shaped wounds.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes fell closed as he enjoyed the feeling of Shusei’s gentle treatment, the brunet carefully massaging the ointment into his skin. Even though he wasn’t made of glass - and Shusei never treated him as such - there were these rare moments when they had treated each other’s wounds instead of being seen to by their family doctor Isuzu. And each time Shusei had taken utter great care to make sure he didn’t inflict any more pain upon him whilst treating the already sustained injuries. Each time Shusei had handled him as if was the most precious treasure in the world and when he had once asked Shusei about it, the brunet had only smiled at him and asked him why he had even asked to begin with as surely Hotsuma already knew the answer himself.

 

A smile played around Hotsuma’s lips as the memory drowned out the cruel reality he was currently in where he wasn’t allowed to hold Shusei or where there wouldn’t come any small, healing kisses afterwards on the wounds.

 

Shusei had never cared about any inflicted wounds or scars, at least not like he had mulled about them from time to time. He wasn’t vain, not in the slightest, but after he and Shusei had become more than just friends and partners, he had started to worry from time to time about how appealing his scar covered body still was to Shusei whom in his eyes was the most beautiful creature in the world.

 

Shusei had always laughed his worries away and kissed all his scars, murmuring to his skin the detail that had been responsible for the existence of the kissed scar. His partner had memorized them all. Every little scar and during which battle it had found itself placed on Hotsuma’s body and the reason for it. And each one of those small, informational intels got concluded with a small word of thanks as Shusei saw those scars as a sign of him having risked his life to keep Shusei safe and alive. Not exactly the complete truth as the reason they fought was for Yuki’s sake but it was hard to win that argument from Shusei when the brunet was doing all kind of delicious things to his body that made his blood rather flow southwards than up to his brain.

 

“Renjou, …”

 

Hotsuma’s eyes flew back open and settled on the mop of brown hair that hid Shusei’s face from him. The brunet was still completely focused on his hands and refusing to meet his eyes and part of Hotsuma wondered why that was. Before his partner had never had any trouble to look him straight into the eye. Not even when Shusei had been hiding something from him, his partner a crack at keeping things a secret until the brunet was ready to let them out in the open for others to see and know.

 

Shusei’s fingers stilled for a few seconds and he finally looked at Hotsuma, using the mirror above the washbasin to look at the blond. “Tell me about that day. Toko-san said I disappeared. How?”

 

Hotsuma swallowed. Fear and pain battled for dominance in eyes that stared in the mirror back at Shusei. Finally he looked away and pulled his hand free of Shusei’s grip. He took a few steps away from the brunet and presented Shusei with his back as he started, hoping in his heart that Shusei would be able to forgive him.

 

“We were walking back home from school when they attacked. The demons, I mean. Low level minions. But there were so many …” Hotsuma shook his head as the memory transported him back to that day.

 

\-------------------------------------- flashback ------------------------------

 

“Hotsuma! Ten o’clock!”

 

Hotsuma whirled around and only narrowly avoided the claws of the wolf-shaped demon.

 

A gunshot sounded and the wolf exploded.

 

Hotsuma nodded a quick thanks to Tsukumo whom answered with a small, strained smile, the grey-haired boy’s eyes immediately straining again to the next demon.

 

“There are too many,” Toko breathed out heavily, jumping out of the path of another wolfish looking demon and coming to stand with her back against Shusei’s back.

 

“I know,” Shusei replied. “It doesn’t make any sense. Yuki isn’t here, so why are they attacking?” He raised a shield above his own and Toko’s head as a flock of black crow looking demons dived down and tried to attack them from above.

 

“Maybe they’re too stupid to realize,” Hotsuma mocked, parrying a new wolf attack and setting the demonic creature on fire as it passed him. The wolf howled out in pain for a second before it exploded.

 

“What if they are merely here to distract us?” Toko asked, worry swimming in her eyes. “What if Yuki is their real target and some Opast is attacking him as we speak?”

 

Hotsuma snorted. “Then I pity the poor fool as Luka is with Yuki. The idiot won’t stand a chance.” He sent out a wave of fire through the air to decimate the flock of bird demons that were still attacking Shusei’s shield. The birds caught on fire, turning into small, erratic, dancing flames in the air before they crashed down to the ground and stayed there unmoving, charcoaled to death. The few birds that had managed to escape the fire attack soon found their end by Tsukumo’s bullets.

 

Shusei’s shield disappeared and his swords appeared in exchange. “There is no point in worrying about Yuki right now,” he said. “We can’t get to him before we’ve dealt with this lot.”

 

Hotsuma stepped up beside his partner. “Then let’s sent these bastards back to where they came from.” He raised his sword in a challenging gesture at the remaining group of wolf shaped demons.

 

Toko and Tsukumo also regrouped, going to stand together so they could fight back to back.

 

“Let’s do this!” Hotsuma yelled, his words the signal for both Zweilt pairs to attack.

 

Both pairs danced through the group of demons, avoiding attacks, blocking attacks, slashing at the demons, guarding each other’s back and keeping their partner safe. The number of demonic wolves quickly diminished but just as Hotsuma felt the need to release a cry of victory, decaying hands shot up out of the ground and grabbed hold of both his ankles and Shusei’s. Nails dug into their flesh and drew blood.

 

Hotsuma cursed out loud and swung with his sword at the offending limbs, but no sooner had he cut off the hands that held his own feet captive or new shot up out of the ground to replace the defeated ones. A quick glance at Shusei told Hotsuma that his partner was suffering from the same predicament. And then Shusei went down.

 

“Shusei!” Hotsuma roared out in terror as new hands shot up out of the ground and started to overwhelm his partner’s body till all Hotsuma could still see was an intangible cluster of rotting hands. “Shusei!” he roared out again, trying desperately to reach the brunet but the demonic hands prevented him from moving even just a single inch closer to his partner.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes shot up. He looked frantically for Toko and Tsukumo, but the siblings were dealing with their own set of problems. The remaining number of wolves had closed the siblings in and were giving them a run for their money. Their clothes already showed several tears and blood caked to the material of their school uniform.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes shot back to Shusei’s invisible form. “Shusei!” Panic, fear, terror, frustration, desperation … there wasn’t a single emotion Hotsuma felt able to concentrate on. There was only one thought that kept screaming at him in his head. GET TO SHUSEI! SAVE HIM! But how? And then it happened …

 

The ground underneath Shusei and himself started to flicker in a bluish color and suddenly the hands fell off his ankles and feet, the limbs severed by a shield that lay now as a film over the sand and protected them from new hands that shot up out of the ground and banged madly at the shield that kept them trapped into the ground.

 

Hotsuma stared for a few moments confused at the ground, his mind trying madly to connect the dots and understand what had just happened when suddenly everything clicked into place. His eyes shot to his right. “Shusei,” he breathed out, stumbling to the mountain of hands that were piled on top of his partner.

 

The mountain moved, shook a few times and then the hands flew left and right, tumbling of Shusei as the boy pushed himself to his hand and knees.

 

Hotsuma’s mouth trembled in relief as he tried to form words yet was unable to push any over his lips. He fell to his knees in front of Shusei and dragged the brunet in a desperate, crushing hug. “Oh God,” he breathed out. “I thought I had lost you.”

 

Shusei’s arms came up and his hands came to rest on Hotsuma’s back, his fingers grabbing hold of the material of Hotsuma school uniform jacket and clenching it forcefully. For a few moments he too had been convinced that this would have been the end of him and that he would have been dragged away from Hotsuma.

 

“Shusei! Hotsuma!” Toko and Tsukumo came running over, having also successfully dealt with their share of the demonic threat.

 

“Are you …” Tsukumo started, only to stop suddenly, his eyes turning wide in horror. “Shusei! Hotsuma!” His hand curled around Toko’s upper arm.  “Get out of there!” He turned away from where the other Zweilt pair was sitting and started to pull his sister with him away from there. “There is a power …” Tsukumo never was able to finish his warning as a brilliant, yellow light shot up out of the ground, covering a wide circle, Shusei and Hotsuma right in the middle of the circle of light.

 

The light’s intensity gained in intensity in less than a second and then started to broadcast a high pitched sound that made all of them fall to their knees, their hands covering their ears whilst they screamed out in pain. Blood started to trickle through their fingers, the sound rupturing their ear drums and causing their ears to bleed.

 

The intensity of the light turned up even a few more notches, the sound following the same pattern and then everything exploded.

 

Tsukumo and Toko were sent sprawling against a steel railing whilst Hotsuma flew against a tree with his back. Shusei came crashing down on the ground a few feet away from his partner.

 

Hotsuma groaned in pain. His eyes snapped back open and he brought his hand up to his forehead as everything around him looked blurry. Slowly his vision cleared again and he scanned around for the others. The Murasame siblings weren’t moving, but he could make out that they were still breathing. His head slowly moved to the right to look for Shusei. He spotted his partner’s unconscious form laying just a few feet away from him, a distance he was convinced he’d be able to make if he crawled.

 

Hotsuma pushed himself away from the tree - sliding sideways away from the tree’s support against his back - and did a half turn as the ground came closer to him so he landed on his hands and knees. He gritted his teeth as pain shot up through his left shoulder. The impact with the tree had dislocated said shoulder but Hotsuma refused to stand still by this fact or let this injury prevent him from reaching Shusei’s side. Slowly he made his way over to Shusei, doing his best to lean most of his weight on his right side to spare his left shoulder and to prevent blacking out from the pain that each jarring movement sent through his body. He had nearly made it to his partner’s side when suddenly black leather boots appeared in his line of vision. Slowly his head lifted, but before he could lay his eyes on the face of the owner of the black leather boots, one of the boots lifted and slammed down on his right hand. The heel of the boot grinded and pushed down on his hand, making the bones in his hand crack and shatter and making him howl out in pain.

 

The figure crouched down, his boot still on Hotsuma’s hand and the crouching position heightening the pressure from the boot on Hotsuma’s hand but the blond ignored the pain. He opened his mouth to unleash a fiery attack on the figure but the other’s hand shot out quick as lightning and clamped down over his mouth, long and sharp nails digging deep into the tender flesh of his cheek. His attack got cut off and he was left helpless in the figure’s grip.

 

The other said something, but due to the earlier abuse on his ears, Hotsuma was unable to understand a single word that the one in front of him said. The world around him was still silent, devoid of any sound.

 

A cruel smile appeared on the other’s face and the figure leant forward, his lips coming to caress Hotsuma’s left ear shell. His cold breath ghosted over Hotsuma’s ear shell and made the blond shiver from disgust and fear for what would be coming.

 

Words were formed again. Hotsuma could feel the other’s lips move against his ear, but everything around him was still muted.

 

The figure pulled back slightly – his hand releasing its grip on Hotsuma in the process - and let his eyes travel to Shusei’s unconscious form. When his attention came to rest again on Hotsuma, the blond could see the other’s intention in the cruel mask the figure was wearing.  Words weren’t needed anymore. The other’s eyes spoke volumes.

 

“No,” Hotsuma whispered. Although he couldn’t hear his own voice, the blond knew that he must have sounded scared and pleading and it made Hotsuma hate himself for being so weak. But this was Shusei they were talking about. His other half. The other part of his soul. He couldn’t lose Shusei. Not again. Not now. Not ever.

 

 

Tears filled Hotsuma’s eyes. No, he couldn’t do this again. He couldn’t go through this again. They had been safe. He had been convinced of that. Even that bastard of a Takashiro had told them it had been over. That there would be nothing to fear.

 

“NO!!!!!!” His soul shattered, his heart broke. His left hand came trembling off the ground, reaching for Shusei.

 

The figure’s left hand shot out and curled itself around Hotsuma’s fingers. His eyes bore into Hotsuma’s and a cruel, loathing expression warped his beautiful features. His lips moved again, forming words that fell on deaf ears, and his eyes regarded Hotsuma as if he were something that was covered under slime and had just crawled out of the sewer. The figure’s grip tightened and then without a single warning the figure suddenly tilted with a quick movement his hand towards Hotsuma’s body, snapping all five fingers of the blond and causing a new howl of pain being ripped out of the blond’s throat.

 

The figure straightened back up. He lifted his boot of Hotsuma’s right hand and brought the tip of the boot under Hotsuma’s chin. Before the blond could react, the figure kicked him backwards, sending him flying back against the tree.

 

Hotsuma’s head snapped backwards, the impact with the tree making him lose consciousness for a few moments but his fear for Shusei’s life and his need and desire to protect his partner refused to let him surrender completely to the blissfulness of the beckoning darkness. Slowly his heavy eyelids raised again, his vision coming to rest on the figure whom was cradling Shusei’s unconscious form now as some damn bride in his arms.

 

“Don’t,” Hotsuma mumbled, blood starting to flow out of the corner of his mouth.

 

The figure looked down upon him in a condescending way whilst a last cruel taunt left his mouth. He then shifted Shusei in his arms to bring the brunet’s unconscious form even closer to his own body and then they were gone. Flashed out of existence.

 

“NNOOOO!!!!” Hotsuma roared, ignoring the protests of his battered and bruised body and pushing himself back to his feet. He took one step towards where just ago the figure had still stood with Shusei in his arms and then his knees gave out. He plummeted to the ground, losing consciousness as he fell and Shusei’s name on his lips as darkness engulfed him.

 

\-------------------- end flashback --------------------------------

 

“They weren’t after Yuki,” Hotsuma turned and faced Shusei. “He was after you. All those demonic minions,” he snorted superciliously, “he’d sent them to tire us out and we fell for it.” Hotsuma’s eyes lowered to the floor and his hands curled up again in angry fists, but this time the anger was directed at himself.

 

“We’d been so stupid,” he continued. “I had been so stupid. I should have been able to stop him from taking you. I should have been able to protect you, but when it came down to it … I was useless. Worthless,” he ended bitterly.

 

“No, you weren’t,” Shusei’s gentle voice cut through Hotsuma’s self loathing. The blond looked up. A warm, compassionate and forgiving smile played around Shusei’s lips and although Hotsuma could still see that it wasn’t yet the smile he was yearning for from Shusei - the smile that held so much love for him - this smile already warmed his heart and comforted him. Was like a balsam to his wounded soul.

 

“I may not remember that day, but from what you’ve just told me, you did everything in your power to try and save me. The odds were just against you.” Shusei lightly shook his head. “No one could have done better than what you did that day.”

 

“But I lost you …”

 

Words welled up in Shusei’s being. _You haven’t lost me,_ he wanted to say, but the words got stuck in his throat as his rational side chided him for even thinking these words when he had a wonderful and doting lover just outside the bathroom. A lover whom just mere moments ago had shown him enough trust to let him be alone in the bathroom with his lover’s biggest rival. Was this really the right way to repay Anath’s trust? By betraying him the first chance he got? And even if Anath wasn’t the issue, then where did these words suddenly come from? Why had they suddenly welled up in him, wanting to be spoken out loud? What was it with Renjou Hotsuma that made him want to seek the blond out automatically and made him want to answer to the blond’s feelings? Could there be some truth to Renjou’s words? Were they partners? But what about Anath then? What would happen to his lover? And how could he be so in love with Anath if he truly belonged to Renjou? Why did he feel like his soul got torn in two between these two boys?

 

Shusei turned away from Hotsuma, stalling time by busying himself with gathering again the supplies he had used to treat Renjou’s hands with and putting them neatly back in their respective place. Everything just felt so confusing to him. He needed time. Time and space to gather his thoughts and analyze all of this.

 

Hotsuma regarded his partner, recognizing a stalling technique when he saw one. This was how Shusei always behaved when the brunet didn’t want to talk or think about something. Shusei would always search for something else to do or concentrate on so that he could take his mind off the subject that truly needed his attention. Yet, even if Hotsuma realized what Shusei was suddenly doing, the blond had no idea as to why the brunet suddenly pulled away again from him and tried to seemingly put up a wall again between them. Had Shusei lied? Did the brunet blame him after all for what had happened that day despite what Shusei had just said?

 

… No. As long as he had known Shusei, his partner had always been honest with his words. Shusei may hide things from him, but he had never, ever lied to him. Nor had the brunet ever blamed him for anything. Not even for those burns that adorned his partner’s body and had scarred Shusei for life. Hotsuma took a step towards Shusei. “It’s all right, Shusei.”

 

Hotsuma’s calm voice made Shusei pause but the brunet refused to face Hotsuma again. The blond however didn’t let this deter him away from what he wanted to say. “I know you may not remember me the way I want you to, but that doesn’t matter cause I know that deep down,” Hotsuma stepped past Shusei and came to stand in front of the brunet. His hand reached out and came to rest over Shusei’s heart. His eyes were riveted on his hand. “Deep down, I know I am still there. He may have tried to erase me, but I know he hasn’t succeeded completely.” Hotsuma’s eyes lifted and he looked up at Shusei, a brilliant smile on his face that took Shusei’s breath away.

 

\-------------------- flashback ----------------------

 

Two boys were together in a darkened room, him and Hotsuma. Hotsuma was sitting down on the window sill whilst he was standing up, ready to leave, but Hotsuma’s hand curled around his wrist was preventing him from leaving. The blond had his head bowed, making it almost seem as if this was a scene were Hotsuma was propositioning him.

 

“You’ll always stay with me, won’t you?” Hotsuma spoke up.

 

“If that’s what you want.”

 

His answer made Hotsuma release a breath of relief and the blond looked up, finally daring to look at him. A happy and relieved smile was plastered on the blond’s face.

 

\-------------------- end flashback -------------------------------

“Hotsuma …” Shusei muttered, a small flash of recognition in his eyes. His hand lifted, ready to touch Hotsuma’s face in wonder as if he couldn’t believe the blond was truly standing here in front of him and he needed the physical proof to back it up when suddenly a knock sounded on the bathroom door and broke the moment.

 

Shusei jumped away from Hotsuma as if he had just burned himself on the blond. Guilt ridden eyes travelled to the closed door. “Yes?” he asked. His voice was firm and didn’t betray a single hint of the emotional turmoil that was currently raging on inside of him.

 

What had just happened?, Shusei’s mind wondered. It was like he had been under some sort of spell that had pulled him unbiddingly towards Renjou.

 

“Shusei?” Anath’s voice floated over through the door. “Toko and Tsukumo are ready to leave. Are you two nearly done in there?”

 

Shusei’s eyes flashed back for a second to Hotsuma – a guilty expression still in them - before they directed themselves back to the door. “We’ll be out in a second.”

 

“Okay.” Anath’s footsteps moved away again from the bathroom door.

 

Shusei’s attention returned to Hotsuma and the two boys remained standing there, neither moving or saying anything. Shusei unsure of what to say now and Hotsuma afraid that a single wrong word of him could shatter whatever small step forward he had just made with Shusei. He had seen the small flicker of recognition in Shusei’s eyes. Had heard the longing that had laid behind the brunet’s uttering of solely his name, his first name and not his last name like Shusei had kept addressing him with ever since he had found the brunet here.

 

Finally it was Shusei whom moved, taking the lead again like he had always done when it came to them. He moved to the bathroom door. “We shouldn’t keep them waiting unnecessarily.” His hand reached for the door handle but before he could open the door, Hotsuma’s flat palm slammed against the wooden door and kept the door shut. “Renjou,” Shusei started, his body slightly trembling as Hotsuma was standing too close to him for comfort. He could feel the blond’s heat radiate off Hotsuma, smell the blond’s unique scent and it put all his instincts into overdrive.

 

There was only one thought that played through Shusei’s mind now, one longing that made his entire being hum for Hotsuma. Everything within him screamed out for the blond. Screamed out for a touch that it had been denied way too long. He wanted Hotsuma’s hands on him. Feel the blond’s touch. He wanted Hotsuma to caress his skin and set him on fire. But thoughts of Anath in the back of his mind made him refuse to give in to his desire. He just remained standing there. His front directed towards the door and his back towards Hotsuma whom was almost draped completely over him and leant even closer in to him. “You once told me to be honest with myself, Shusei.” Hotsuma’s husky voice caressed Shusei’s skin, provoking a small shiver out of the brunet. “Maybe you should follow your own advice. I know you just remembered me. Remembered us.”

 

Shusei’s hand clenched harder around the cold metal of the door handle. “You’re wrong,” he replied, refusing to look back at Hotsuma but keeping his head bowed and his eyes transfixed on the door handle.

 

Hands landed on Shusei’s shoulders and the brunet was spun around, forced to meet Hotsuma’s hot gaze.  “You’ve always been a good liar, Shusei,” Hotsuma said, “but not this time. Your body is betraying you.” His eyes searched Shusei’s face before he slowly let his left hand travel downwards over the material of Shusei’s shirt towards the naked flesh of the brunet’s hand.

 

Shusei felt like his world stood still. He was unable to breath, unable to move. All that still existed was the trail of fire Hotsuma’s hand left behind on his arm that burned itself through his shirt material and made his flesh sing out in happiness and scream out for more. Scream out for that final contact of his naked flesh with Hotsuma’s naked flesh.

 

Hotsuma’s fingertips crept closer and closer to the seam of his sleeve.

 

Shusei felt like closing his eyes, throw his head backwards and just drown in the feeling Hotsuma was dragging up out of him. The blond’s touch felt so good. So right. So perfect …

 

Shusei’s eyelids started to fall shut when suddenly an image of Anath flashed before Shusei’s mind eye. The brunet’s eyes went wide open and he snapped out of the lust induced haze Hotsuma had conjured up over him. His hands came upwards and he gave a weak push against Hotsuma’s broad chest.

 

Hotsuma immediately respected Shusei’s wish and stepped away from the brunet, giving Shusei back some breathing space and giving his partner the chance to collect himself again. Shusei’s eyes met Hotsuma’s. “You shouldn’t have done that,” Shusei berated.

 

“Why not?” Hotsuma replied, a harsh expression on his face, the blond daring Shusei to say that what he had just done was wrong. That **they** were wrong.

 

Shusei shook his head lightly and looked away, finding something in the corner of the bathroom seemingly far interesting to stare at. “I don’t know. It’s just …” Shusei trailed off, but the silence only lasted a few seconds as Shusei managed to collect himself again and could face Hotsuma back head on. His mask was back firmly in place and he looked strong and determined. “You don’t belong here,” he said with a strong, back in control tone of voice. “It feels wrong.”

 

Hotsuma snorted and took a step back towards the brunet. “You’re wrong, Shusei,” he replied, his tone of voice just as firm as Shusei’s and not allowing any objection. “I belong by your side. Wherever you go, I go. You’re my partner. My one and only partner. You’re the only one I trust with my life.”

 

Shusei released a small amused sound. “Kinda a large responsibility to put on someone’s shoulders, isn’t it?”

 

“You never minded before,” Hotsuma answered back seriously. He took another step closer to Shusei and his hand took hold off the brunet’s chin to force Shusei to keep looking at him so the brunet would know he meant every, next, single word. Not that Shusei ever had denied him his attention, but here, in this reality, well, Hotsuma just wanted to make sure that every next word reached Shusei loud and clear.

 

“Shusei, we’ll find whoever is behind all of this and make ‘m set everything back right and then you’ll see. You’ll see that I am right, Shusei. That I am the one you belong with. No matter what happens, Shusei, I will bring you back to my side.”

 

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

Anath regarded Shusei gather the untouched tea and coffee cups on a tray after which his lover carried them to their kitchen. Anath followed. Shusei poured the contents of the cups into the sink and then opened the faucet to rinse the cups. Toko, Tsukumo and Hotsuma had just left. They all had agreed to get a good night’s rest and to meet up again tomorrow before classes started to search for their missing Opast. Tsukumo had pointed out that the Opast had been after Shusei and so they wouldn’t have to look very far for him. The Opast would be somewhere close by so that he could keep an eye on Shusei and await the perfect moment to make his move. And since Shusei spent most of his time at school, it was only logical to assume the Opast would be disguised as one of Shusei’s classmates or friends at school.

 

Anath leant against the side of the door frame and watched Shusei in silence until his lover closed the faucet and moved to the dishwasher to put the used cups away. “So,” he started in a lingering way, “what did you and Renjou talk about in private?”

 

Shusei put the last cup inside the dishwasher, closed its door and then dried his hands off on the towel that lay on the counter. He then put the towel back on the towel rack before he turned and faced Anath. “I asked him about that day. The day they claim I was taken from their reality and brought to this one.”

 

Anath regarded his lover silently for a few moments but when it became clear that Shusei wouldn’t give any more details unless prompted, he asked on. “And what did he have to say about it?”

 

“He feels guilty,” Shusei replied casually. “He believes he is responsible for what happened. That he could have stopped it somehow.”

 

“And could he have?” A small hint of curiosity colored the tone of Anath’s voice.

 

Shusei leant back against the counter. “I highly doubt it. From what we know now – provided they are telling the truth - that Opast has an infatuation with me. He wouldn’t have stopped until he had his claws in me. If it hadn’t happened that day, it would have happened at some later date.”

 

Anath studied his lover quietly, making Shusei raise an eyebrow questioningly. “What?” the brunet asked.

 

Anath shook his head. “Nothing. I was just thinking.”

 

“What about?”

 

Anath pushed himself of the door frame side and walked over to Shusei. He pulled his lover forward and drew him into a hug. “I don’t care what Renjou says or how much that blasted demonic creature is taken by you. I won’t let him get you. I’ll keep you safe. Even if it kills me.”

 

Shusei leant deeper into the embrace. He tucked his head in the crook of Anath’s neck, noting absently - not for the first time - how perfectly their bodies fitted together. “Don’t say that. We are on to him now. He can’t take us by surprise anymore. As long as we stay on our guard, we’ll be fine. All of us.”

 

“Shusei,” Anath held his brunet lover a bit away from him so he could see Shusei’s face, “promise me you’ll be extra careful. Don’t go anywhere alone. I don’t care if you need to drag me out of swimming practice just as long as you’re not on your own. You’re that creature’s target. You need to take extra care.”

 

The back of Shusei’s hand caressed Anath’s cheek. The black-haired youth closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly to lean into the contact. “I’ll be fine,” Shusei answered with a small, affectionate smile playing around his lips. He knew how important swimming training was to Anath and how much his lover enjoyed being in the water - at times Shusei had even joked that Anath was surely a mer descendant, only the tail missing. He didn’t want to be the one to take that away from his lover. He could take care of himself and if not … “How could I not be with such two brave warriors protecting me?”

 

Anath’s eyes flew open. He regarded the brunet with an expression in them Shusei couldn’t place, but even if the emotions reflected in the orbs remained undefined,, Shusei easily realized that he had just made a giant mistake and had hurt his lover by bringing Renjou in the conversation.

 

Anath untangled himself from the embrace and stepped away. He presented Shusei with his back and put distance between himself and his lover, a distance that wasn’t only physically visible but was also felt by Shusei and it made the brunet’s heart scream out in loss and pain and hurt. Shusei just wanted those arms around him again. Wanted Anath back close to him. Their bodies connected. Their skin touching. Their souls going up in one another and forming one instead of two separate beings.   Shusei’s arm lifted, his hand reaching out to his lover in a begging way. “Anath …”

 

“Don’t, Shusei,” Anath interrupted, the boy turning back around to face the brunet, an angry fire burning in his eyes that battled for dominance with a painful sadness. He shook his head slowly. “Don’t try to blossom this over, Shusei. Don’t try to deny it. I felt you. I felt you and Renjou through the door in the bathroom.”

 

Shusei jumped forward, his hand connecting with Anath’s shoulder. “Anath, I swear …” but Anath pushed his lover away, Shusei’s hand falling uselessly off the black-haired boy’s shoulder. Anath’s hand came up and raked through his hair as the boy looked anywhere but at his slightly shorter lover.

 

“I’m such a fool,” Anath spoke, the anger dissipated and leaving in its wake only a saddened, abandoned boy. “Here I am trying so hard to hold on to you and for what?” His eyes landed on Shusei, a desperation flickering in them for Shusei to be able to explain him why. To put things right again. “Tell me, Shusei … Why are we doing this? Why are we trying so hard to fight what is staring right at us?” Anath’s eyes narrowed in incomprehension. “Why do we keep holding on? Why can’t we just quite this stupid charade? What if Renjou is right? What if we find the Opast, defeat him and then everything gets put back right and we discover you actually do belong to Renjou and we aren’t meant to be? Who knows,” Anath stepped further away from Shusei after which he tossed his hands up in the air in a helpless gesture, “maybe I have a different partner waiting for me out there. Or maybe this Opast already killed my partner before he trapped me here like you. Shusei,” Anath regarded his lover intensely, a great sorrow mirrored in his eyes, “we can make as many declarations of love as we want, but sometimes …” Anath shook his head sadly. “Sometimes love just ain’t enough.” His shoulders slumped in defeat.

 

Shusei’s eyes closed and his head slightly lowered. The brunet didn’t know how to answer Anath. How to comfort his lover and take away the feelings of loss and fear as Shusei himself was just as much at a loss as his love. Maybe even more so as Anath wasn’t at least subjected to the confusing emotions Renjou Hotsuma had conjured up in him ever since the boy had set foot in their peaceful life. Shusei wanted so much to reassure his lover, tell Anath Renjou Hotsuma didn’t mean anything to him and that he didn’t care about that demon but that they could just pack their stuff and leave this same evening without leaving a trace behind for Renjou to follow and bring him back on their doorstep, but he couldn’t. Even if he hated to admit it to himself, Renjou Hotsuma did have a point in the bathroom. There was something there. There was something between him and the blond boy and although it filled him with loathing for what it meant he was putting his lover through, part of Shusei was desperately holding onto this. Refusing to let go. Wanting the blond in his life.

 

Guilt filled eyes looked up again and met the golden, piercing eyes of Anath. The black-haired boy was still watching him. Awaiting an answer. But how could he give his lover one if he himself didn’t know it? How could part of his heart be screaming out for Renjou when the rest of his heart only wanted to be in the arms of one boy? Since when had he become such a filthy tramp? Why couldn’t he be satisfied with just one person? Why did he have to be such a loathsome creature? No wonder that demon was attracted to him. He was just as low and disgusting as it.

 

“It’s obvious whom you belong to,” Anath’s resigned voice broke the tension filled silence.

 

Shock pushed Shusei one step backwards, his eyes staring wide open in disbelief at his lover. No, Anath couldn’t possibly believe that himself, could he?   Anath couldn’t leave him. He couldn’t! Walls came tumbling down, trying to bury him alive. His breathing stopped, agony welling up in his chest, Shusei unsure whether it came from the shortness of breath or from his heart that was falling to pieces. ‘ _Like_ _Humpty Dumpty’,_ his mind absentminded said, making him remember that silly childhood rhyme about the egg that broke into pieces and no one in the entire world being able to put poor Humpty Dumpty back together.

 

_Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men Couldn't put Humpty together again._

The rhyme kept repeating itself over and over again in Shusei’s head like some litany. Something to hold on to, to ground him, to keep him here instead of letting him fall in the roaring abyss of darkness that had opened its hungry mouth beneath him and wanted to devour him.

 

Anath was no longer there … No, he was, Shusei noted strangely detached, but he was unable to focus on the other youth anymore. Everything was a blur, unreal. And then the Humpty Dumpty rhyme disappeared, replaced by a new line: _“This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper”_ and bitterly amused Shusei realized that he lived way too much with his nose in the books. Even now as his end was near, he couldn’t even be original and come up with his own parting words but had to steal them from some great writer. What a fake he was. What a failure. No wonder everyone always left him. No wonder no one wanted him in the end. He was not real, just a doll that shamelessly went through the motions of life whilst pretending to be a breathing and living thing. Pretending to be alive …

 

“Shusei!”

 

Shusei’s eyebrows furrowed confused as he heard someone calling out his name, his name laced with fear. There was someone beside him, some presence, and hands landed on his shoulders, shaking him and God it made things only worse. He gagged, trying to push words past his air-deprived lungs, trying to make the other presence stop, make this presence leave him alone, but without words he was useless, at the mercy of the other, the other whom was too close and was smothering him and taking away all the air.

 

With a final, desperate attempt, Shusei’s hands came up and pushed hard against the presence, sending it off and away from him. A surprised squeak followed his action, but Shusei found himself uncaring. His entire mind was focused on trying to get back air into his lungs. He needed to breath. Why was it so damn hard to breath?! It was a basic talent, something even a baby could do!

 

Shusei’s hands clawed at his throat, irrationally thinking that there was some obstruction there that he needed to get rid of as it was pressing his air pipe closed. Other hands suddenly closed around his own hands and pulled them away, forcing some unintelligent, desperate, protesting sound past his lips. But the owner of the other hands ignored his protest and kept his hands strongly clenched around his own, shifting them so he could hold onto his hands with only one hand.

 

“You need to stop this, Shusei! You’re hurting yourself! Listen to me, listen to me!”

 

Shusei felt his head being lifted, his eyes forced to meet piercing golden ones. “Listen to me, Shusei. You are having a panic attack. You’ll be fine. Just relax. Breathe with me. Follow my example. Breathe in …” Shusei detachedly noted how the other took a deep breath, the piercing eyes pinning him down and daring him to disobey the order. At the next deep breath the other took, Shusei tried to follow. It hurt to finally feel air again in his lungs, it stung and burned, but the other wouldn’t let go. He kept forcing him to keep taking deep and slow breaths and gradually the pain lessened and Shusei calmed down. His eyes gained slowly back a focus and the world around him came back into play.

 

“Good. You’re doing great, Shusei. Just keep taking slow and deep breaths.” Relief colored Anath’s face. The young man was crouched beside Shusei whom at some point had fallen to his knees and had hunched over, trying to crawl into himself during the panic attack.

 

Anath’s hands released Shusei’s and the youth sat down. He pulled Shusei against him and into his lap. One of his hands automatically started to brush Shusei’s brown bangs from the boy’s sweat soaked forehead in a soothing, methodical gesture.

 

Shusei sank against Anath’s body, a limp bunch of muscles and flesh that had no strength left to hold itself up on its own. His eyes fell half way closed but Shusei stubbornly refused to give into the exhaustion and instead stared through half lidded eyes at some spot on one of the kitchen tiles.

 

“It’s okay, Shusei. I’ve got you.” Anath’s warm breath ghosted over Shusei’s ear shell as the other murmured reassuring words into the brunet’s ear altered with gentle kisses on the other’s hair. The black-haired youth gently rocked them back and forth, calming at the same time his own raging nerves.

 

“Don’t leave me,” Shusei murmured, the words sounding more to him like an unintelligent heap of syllables but his lover was luckily able to make sense out of them.

 

“I won’t,” Anath murmured back. “I won’t leave you. I’m sorry.”

 

“I need you,” Shusei murmured back sluggishly, the exhaustion slowly creeping up on him and putting its claws deeper into him. “Can’t be without you.”

 

“Sshhh,” Anath murmured against Shusei’s forehead. “It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere. Just rest. I’ve got you. We’ll talk about this later. For now, just rest.”

 

Shusei gave a small, almost unexisting nod. He felt Anath lift him up off the kitchen floor and carry him carefully towards their bedroom. The comforting smell of Anath’s body and the black-haired’s closeness lulled Shusei to sleep even before his head touched the pillow, but before he gave himself completely over to the healing darkness of sleep, he pushed a final sentence past his lips. “You. I chose you.”

 

Anath leant down and brushed a kiss on the forehead off his sleeping lover. “I know.”

 

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

Anath softly brushed Shusei’s bangs from the brunet’s sweat soaked forehead. The black-haired youth leant in so he came to hover over the other boy in the bed. “Shusei,” he softly whispered. “Shusei, you need to wake up. It’s just a nightmare. Wake up.”

 

Shusei moaned. His head tossed left and right on the white pillow while the area around his eyes tensed and relaxed, the brunet doing his best to listen to his lover and escape the confinements of his dream by opening his eyes and returning to the world of wakefulness.

 

“Open your eyes, love,” Anath encouraged. His hand lowered and caressed Shusei’s cheek in a loving and soothing gesture.

 

A new moan escaped past Shusei’s lips before eyelids lifted and greenish golden eyes stared feverishly at the one leaning over him. Shusei’s eyebrows furrowed confused. “Anath?”

 

A smile answered Shusei’s confusion. “It’s okay, love. It was just a bad dream.” Anath bent further down and let his lips caress Shusei’s forehead in a fleeting, butterfly touch.

 

“Oh.” Shusei’s hand came up and touched the spot where Anath’s lips had just marked him. His eyes fell back closed for a small moment before they opened again and focused on his lover, more awareness now in the vivid eyes that had always managed to capture Anath’s attention and were able to steal the black-haired boy’s breath away from him just by having those eyes directed at him.

 

Anath straightened backwards, giving Shusei some more room again. “Do you wanna talk about it?” he asked gently.

 

Shusei’s hand came up and came to rest over his eyes as he tried to remember the nightmare but all he managed to do was draw a blank. “I can’t remember,” he finally muttered, his hand falling away so he could look at his lover anew.

 

Anath gave a gentle pat to Shusei’s white sheet covered hip. “That’s okay. Come and find me later today should you remember again, okay?”

 

Shusei nodded, still mulling over the fact that he couldn’t recall what he had just dreamt about. Normally he had no problem at all to remember his dreams but for some strange reason his nightmares always seemed to elude him.

 

“Come on,” Anath said, getting up and pulling Shusei out of the brunet’s contemplation. “Get up and dressed or we’ll be late for school.”

 

Shusei slowly sat up, his hand coming up and resting against his forehead as his vision started to swim suddenly whilst a pounding headache made his stomach topple over, bringing him nearly to the point where he would have lost the food in his stomach provided he would have eaten something the day before.

 

The mattress immediately dipped, telling Shusei without having to look up that his lover had returned to his side. Hands pushed his own hand away and started to massage his temple. “Headache?” Anath’s soft voice asked concerned.

 

Shusei moaned an affirmative response, feeling as if he would open his mouth to actually respond Anath verbally, he’d be decorating his lover’s already put on school uniform with the bile that had bubbled up from his stomach into his mouth. The sour taste had even managed to infiltrate somehow into his nostrils, making him not only taste the horrible bile but also smell it. He was surprised Anath didn’t smell it as he felt that even his pores were secreting the horrible, vile stench. Or maybe Anath did as Shusei suddenly felt the loss of his lover’s hands on his clammy flesh and felt his lover’s presence slowly move away from him.

 

“Anath?” Shusei asked, his tone of voice one of a small, frightened child. He opened his eyes slightly again and peered through the narrow slits at his lover whom was moving towards the kitchen. “Anath?” he braved again, taking the chance that opening his mouth hopefully wouldn’t bring forth an avalanche of stinking bile onto the clean sheet. His lover paused and turned towards him but Shusei was unable to read Anath’s facial expression as his continuing headache didn’t allow him to open his eyes completely and focus properly on his lover.

 

“Just hang on for a sec, Shusei. I’ll be right back.”

 

Anath’s tone of voice was reassuring and Shusei’s eyes fell back closed, the newly gained darkness a tiny balsam to his pounding head. He could hear in the distance Anath rummaging around in the kitchen, the sound reaching him as if he were somewhere under water and listening to movement above water level. He didn’t know how long Anath was away from his side but suddenly the mattress dipped again and something steamy was pushed right under his nose. A hand took hold of his own right hand and guided said hand to the handle of a mug. Heat radiated off the mug.

 

“Drink up,” Anath’s voice sounded. “It’ll help.”

 

Shusei didn’t feel particularly eager to pour something into his already upset stomach but Anath had never disappointed him before. His lover had always looked out for him, put his best interest first and so with a blind faith into his lover Shusei brought the mug to his lips and paused as he wondered about the heat of the liquid in the mug. Judging from the warmness of the mug and the steam whirling upwards, the beverage would be scolding hot and although he didn’t want anything more than to chase away his blinding headache, Shusei paced himself and first blew a few times into the mug to cool off the liquid a bit. When he felt that the temperature of Anath’s mixture was on a tolerable level, Shusei took a careful sip and after having determined the liquid’s temperature do-able, the brunet drained the entire mug.

 

The liquid tasted bitter but seemed to work immediately as the sharpest edge of his headache almost immediately disappeared. With a grateful moan Shusei slowly leant back into his pillow. He felt Anath take the empty mug out of his hand and heard the mug being put on their bedside table after which Anath’s hands returned to his temple and started to rub soothing circles again above his eyes.

 

Shusei just underwent the treatment, floating half in and out of the drowsiness of sleep, letting Anath’s fingers work their magic and massage away the final, present strains of pain that beat behind his closed eyelids.

 

Finally a new moan slipped past Shusei’s lips, not one of discomfort but one of pure bliss this time. “Mmmhhhh, you should consider making a career out of your massage skills.”

 

A small, amused laugh greeted his words and Shusei felt Anath pull away from him, the other just settling on the mattress beside him now. He cracked an eye open, carefully, not wanting to test just yet at full strength the beneficial influence of Anath’s fabricated beverage combined with the magical skill of his boyfriend’s fingers. Finding no new headache exploding behind his eyelids, Shusei slowly opened his other eye too and stared at his lover.

 

“Feeling better?” Anath asked, his head slightly tilted to the left.

 

Shusei nodded and sat up. “Yes, thank you.” His hand came to rest for a few seconds on Anath’s forearm in an offered thanks before he pushed the sheets further off him and slowly got out of bed.

 

Anath’s hand wrapped itself around Shusei’s wrist and he pulled the slightly shorter boy towards him, making Shusei nearly topple over and fall in a bundle of arms and legs all over Anath’s lap. Luckily his Zweilt skills kicked in just in time and prevented the brunet from ending up in an embarrassing heap on Anath. Not that his lover probably would have minded, Shusei thought to himself.

 

Anath’s lips sought out Shusei’s ones and he planted them firmly on the firm ones of Shusei, giving the brunet a kiss before pulling back slightly and smiling satisfied at Shusei. “Good morning,” he said huskily. His fingers dipped inside Shusei’s pajama pants and hooked under the elastic, using his grip to pull the brunet boy towards him and have him settle on his lap.

 

Shusei’s hands curled out of their own accord around Anath’s neck and hooked loosely together behind the black-haired boy’s neck so his fingers could still play lazily with Anath’s strands of hair. “Morning,” Shusei greeted back, a mirroring smile on his face.

 

Anath leant in and inhaled his lover’s scent as he nibbled softly on the spot where Shusei’s neck met his shoulder. His lover tilted his head, giving him better access to the spot which he took eagerly. He nibbled and sucked on the flesh till he got rewarded with a throaty moan from Shusei accompanied by a delicious shiver from the brunet boy in his arms.

 

Shusei’s eyes fell closed and his head lolled backwards, exposing his throat to Anath. The black-haired youth abandoned his kissing spot and trailed soft kisses to the exposed, pale column of flesh. He planted a kiss in the hollow of Shusei’s throat after which he lightly grazed the naked flesh with his teeth, bringing forth a new moan out of the brunet.

 

Shusei’s hands moved to Anath’s shoulders to help him keep his balance and as Anath continued his gentle assault on his throat, Shusei’s fingers dug deeper into his lover’s shirt. His toes curled in pleasure and a need for Anath hummed through his entire being but as his eyes opened again to look at his lover, he saw a hint of their clock behind his lover’s back and of the time said clock indicated. Responsibility set in and with regret in his heart, Shusei pulled lightly back from Anath’s skillfully mouth. A confused regard from Anath answered him; the other unable to comprehend why Shusei had suddenly made an end to what he had been convinced had been a pleasurable time for the both of them. Shusei smiled apologetic at his dark-haired lover. “We’re going to be late like this,” he explained.

 

Anath leant forward, reestablishing the contact between his lips and Shusei’s skin. “I don’t care,” he murmured against the brunet’s skin as he sought out a new spot in his lover’s neck that would bring pleasure to Shusei. An answering shudder from Shusei told him he had succeeded and with a smile he continued to assault the sensitive spot.

 

Shusei moaned, his being in war with just throwing his responsibilities out of the window and just stay here with Anath and continue with what definitely promised to be an excellent morning if they continued like this. But he was a part of the school committee - a role model - he couldn’t just forego his responsibilities for his own selfish whims. He had duties to maintain and one of them was setting the right example for other students.

 

“Well, I do,” Shusei answered Anath, protesting verbally already to his lover’s irresponsibility but still letting Anath continue with his ministrations for now. “What kind of example am I setting like this as a school committee member?”

 

Anath growled annoyed against Shusei’s skin. His lips paused against his lover’s skin, knowing very well that he was fighting a losing battle. His lover’s sense of responsibility was way too deeply buried within the brunet to get Shusei to agree to play truant just for a morning rump.

 

“Besides,” Shusei continued, “we’ve agreed to meet the others before classes started, remember?”

 

A new annoyed growl answered Shusei, this one filled with even more chagrin as Anath would have preferred to have forgotten all about Hotsuma Renjou and his little merry band. A shadow fell over the dark-haired boy’s face and he released his hold on Shusei. The mood was completely gone as far as he was concerned. His lover might as well have just dumped a bucket of ice cold water over him. He pushed Shusei off his lap and stood up after which he gathered the empty mug of the bedside table. “Get ready. I’ll clean up the kitchen,” he told Shusei without making eye contact with his lover.

 

Shusei watched Anath go. Part of him wanted to reach out and stop his lover, apologize and tell Anath to forget he had even said anything and just give school and the others a miss, but at the same time he also knew this wouldn’t solve anything. If they didn’t go today, they would have to go tomorrow and have to face then the others and the possible outcome from their fight with the Opast. There was just no escaping that. Putting it off didn’t make it magically disappear. No, it was better to just bite the bullet and get this over with. And maybe then Anath would be able to relax again if his lover came to see that one Opast didn’t change a single thing about Shusei’s feelings for the black-haired boy.

 

Shusei quickly showered and got dressed. He walked back into the bedroom just as Anath did; he to pick up his tie and his lover to grab his vest. Both paused and regarded the other uncomfortable, a vast change to the heated contact they had shared mere moments ago.

 

Finally it was Shusei whom ended the impasse. He bent down to pick up his tie from the bed where he had laid out the article of clothing before he had stepped into the bathroom and broke eye contact with Anath like that. He grabbed his tie, walked over to the mirror and started tying his tie, watching in the mirror his lover behind him pick up his vest and slip it on after which Anath came over to him and embraced him from behind.

 

Anath’s arms automatically came up and around Shusei and his hands came to rest over Shusei’s hands that were just in the middle of creating a deftly tied knob. “Let me,” Anath’s breath ghosted over Shusei’s ear shell, making the brunet feel weak in the knees and making his hands fall limply against his side, his tie completely relinquished over to his lover.

 

Anath created with quick and deft movements a perfectly looking tied necktie but as the red material fell against Shusei’s white clad chest, Anath didn’t make a single move to step away from his lover and release the brunet. Instead he leant his head on Shusei’s shoulder and met his lover’s gaze in the mirror. “I’m sorry. I hate fighting with you.”

 

Shusei’s left hand reached backwards and he caressed Anath’s cheek with the knuckles of his hand. Anath’s head dipped and he nuzzled the side of Shusei’s neck. “I’m sorry too,” Shusei expressed, letting his eyes fall closed for a bit and just enjoying the moment of intimacy between them before he pulled himself regrettably free. “Come on or we’ll truly be late.”

 

Shusei started to make his way to the bedroom door when Anath halted his retreat by grabbing the brunet’s wrist. “Shusei,” Anath started, his tone of voice deadly serious as well as his facial expression, “no matter what happens today, I want you to know that you are the one for me. You always have been. From the very first moment I laid eyes on you.”

 

Shusei’s expression softened upon hearing his lover’s confession and he stepped back up to Anath. His hands came up and his fingers curled themselves in the black strands of hair of his lover as he himself leant in and regarded Anath with adoration and love in his eyes that got reflected in the softness of his facial expression. “And you are mine,” he whispered huskily against Anath’s lips before he closed the remaining distance and their lips connected.

 

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Toko hopped from one foot to the other as she awaited together with her brother and Hotsuma the arrival of Shusei and Anath. She gave another glance at her watch – for the thirty sixth time in the last five minutes – and then looked back up. Her eyes scanned the road and searched for the familiar silhouette of Shusei. The road remained empty. Various students came towards them over the sidewalk - chatting away in groups and walking through the school gate onto the school grounds - but nowhere was a sign to be seen of Shusei or Anath.

 

“I don’t get it,” Toko spoke up. “Shusei is normally already more than half an hour in school at this hour.” She tossed a worried glance at her brother. “Do you think something has happened to him?”

 

Tsukumo gave a bread crumb to the sparrow on his left shoulder before he turned his attention on his sister. “Let’s give them another few minutes. This isn’t our reality. Maybe Anath has changed Shusei-kun’s habits and isn’t he over here that early at school.”

 

Hotsuma looked darkly away from the siblings and stared back out into the distance towards where Anath’s place was situated. Shusei had never placed him before school. The brunet had always already disappeared towards school by the time he rolled out of bed and each time he had nagged to Shusei about it, Shusei had simply told him that he had duties to attend to at school that needed his attention and couldn’t wait till Hotsuma finally decided the morning hour decent enough to get up. If the blond truly wanted to have breakfast together and walk to school together with him, it was up to Hotsuma to get up earlier, an ultimatum Hotsuma had hated but had tried to live by although in all honesty he had missed the early appointments with Shusei more than that he actually had made them. It stung him that Shusei clearly was willing to make an exception for Anath when it had been too much to ask for him.

\-------------------- flashback ---------------------------

Hotsuma leant over the table. He grabbed two more slices of bread and piled them on his already heavily loaded plate.

 

“Hotsuma,” Shusei spoke up from where he was sitting beside the blond, observing his partner whom was loading the blond’s plate with a second breakfast serving, “we’re going to be late.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Hotsuma had just torn a large piece of bread of the first grabbed slice and did his best to push the words out of his mouth in an understandable manner whilst chewing on the food in his mouth. “We still have an hour before school starts.”

 

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Shusei reprimanded. He sighed mentally, glancing at Hotsuma out of the corner of his eye whilst the blond dug into the rest of the food on his plate. Naturally his partner didn’t understand once again how important his school committee duties were to him. He had warned Hotsuma yesterday evening - when the blond had insisted to have breakfast together and walk to school together – that he had a committee meeting before classes started and would be leaving earlier than usual. Hotsuma however had shrugged it off as if it was nothing and had played games till in the early hours of the morning, making the blond get up too late to begin with and put them already behind schedule even before they had started on breakfast.

 

Shusei gave a final glance in Hotsuma’s direction and then pushed his chair backwards and stood up. His partner’s head immediately whirled towards him. “What are you doing?!” Hotsuma asked scandalized as his plate was still half full. Small chunks of food sprayed around as the blond verbalized his displeasure.

 

Shusei looked down at his partner, unaffected by Hotsuma’s rude and brusque tone. “I’m leaving for school. I have a meeting and I am already late.”

 

Hotsuma remained silent for a few seconds, not sure where the annoyance and hint of anger had come from that had laced Shusei’s tone of voice, but then his brain rebooted as Shusei was making his way out of the dining room. He quickly shoved three more bites of food in his mouth, grabbed his school bag and swung it over his back as he called after Shusei whilst stumbling after his partner whom wasn’t slowing down his pace at all despite his call. When he finally caught up to his lover, he was in a foul mood and his face wore a scowl. “What’s your problem?” he asked angrily. “Just cause you don’t like to take your time for breakfast, doesn’t mean you have to rush others.”

 

Shusei stopped, making Hotsuma nearly crash into him. The brunet turned slowly around, his mouth set in a thin line and his eyes narrowed and promising doom on whomever was unlucky enough to have annoyed the brunet. The scary expression would have made anyone with some sense in their head make a run for it, anyone apart from a certain hot head who was more than used to these scary looks and had long ago refused to back down in the face of one. “Well?!” Hotsuma demanded hot headily, not caring at all that Shusei’s eyes looked as if they were ready to laser a hole into him.

 

It was only a small glint of anger that flashed in Shusei’s eyes but Hotsuma caught it none the less. “You are so selfish,” Shusei said, anger boiling just underneath the carefully held in check tone of voice.

 

Hotsuma blinked, totally stupefied for a fraction of a second before his own anger boiled over and he exploded. “What, you fucking prick?!” His hands shot forward, grabbed hold of the collar of Shusei’s shirt and hauled the slightly shorter boy forward, bringing his partner’s face close to his own fuming one, only a few inches still separating their noses. “I wasn’t the one whom took that Ashley chick up on her offer and tried to abandon you! I came for you!   Even when that bastard of a Takashiro wanted to give up on you, I fought for a way to get to you and I risked everything for you there! Hell! I even got up on some ungodly hour this morning just cause you never brush of that stupid school committee of yours and always put them before me!”

 

Hotsuma would have sworn it would have been impossible, but Shusei’s eyes narrowed even more and the blond was convinced that if his partner wouldn’t have had the talent of God’s eyes, but would have been in control of the weather, that heavy thunderstorms would break lose now all around them with some nice added tornadoes for good measurement. “You sacrifice yourself for me?!” Shusei asked disbelieving through gritted teeth. “Weren’t you the one whom tried to use his own power against himself? Whom tried to leave me first?! You wanted to abandon me! I at least waited till I knew you’d be fine! As for getting up on some ungodly hour this morning, I never asked you to! Feel free to remain in bed all day! You know how important the school committee is to me! I told you yesterday about the meeting I have this morning, yet you couldn’t even be bothered to turn in earlier so we could have woken up on time for the meeting! **I** cut you some slack this morning! **I** allowed you to sleep in a bit longer than was good! **I** was willing to sacrifice missing the start of the meeting for you! But **you** don’t care! You **never** do! It’s always **all** about you!”

 

Shusei pulled himself free from Hotsuma’s grip that had gone slack as he had attacked his partner verbally. He rearranged his school uniform - so it was back in order - and then walked off, leaving a shell shocked Hotsuma behind.

 

“Well, excuse me for having at least a life!” Hotsuma finally bellowed after his partner’s retreating back as he snapped back out of his perplexity. Shusei’s back turning just the slightest more ram rod was the he only indication he got that his partner had heard him.

\------------------ end flashback -----------------------------------

Angrily Hotsuma kicked a pebble away that skipped onto the street and only narrowly avoided a nearby parked car. Not that he would have cared much about having put a dent into the stupid car or not. This wasn’t his reality so the car wasn’t his responsibility.

 

After that fight he and Shusei had avoided each other the rest of the day. The few times they had passed each other in a hallway or so, he had stubbornly looked away and pretended Shusei didn’t exist. He had even been so angry that as soon as the school bell had signaled the end of the day, he had grabbed his stuff and had left. He hadn’t waited for Shusei nor had he checked whether his partner would be able to get home safely. He had just felt like he was going to explode and had needed desperately an outlet which had driven him to his favorite gaming arcade in the centre of the city.

 

He had spent the whole evening there, only dragging his feet back home after all his pocket money had been gone and he hadn’t felt any more like he would want to punch the first person that would say something to him that wouldn’t sit well with him. And maybe that had been a good thing cause the first words that had been directed at him, had been those of their mansion manager Tachibana. The man had asked surprised where Shusei was as the brunet still wasn’t home and everyone had assumed - since he hadn’t been home yet either - that they had been together.

 

Without a second thought he had dropped his school bag and headed back out, ignoring Tachibana’s demands of what was going on. All he could think of was his partner and how Shusei may have gotten in trouble or gotten wounded or even worse due to his childish behavior. He should have made sure the other Zweilts would have walked Shusei home or that some car would have come to pick the brunet up.

 

He had run the entire way back to school. His senses on high alert as to not miss any sign of a struggle along the way or his partner’s broken, bleeding form, and a huge wave of relief had come crashing over him as he had found himself panting from exhaustion in the doorway of Shusei’s class room and had found the brunet sitting at his desk. The moonlight had illuminated Shusei’s silhouette and had given the brunet an ethereal glow.

 

Hotsuma’s heart had thumped painfully in his chest, the sight before him one of the most beautiful ones he had ever seen, but as Shusei’s head had slowly turned his way and the hand that had supported the brunet’s head had fallen away, Hotsuma’s heart had constricted painfully due to the sadness he had found portrayed on Shusei’s face. His strong, powerful, proud partner was looking so small, scared and lonely and it had brought him across the class room’s floor in seconds, dragging Shusei up and pulling him into a crushing hug whilst whispering over and over again in the crook of Shusei’s neck how sorry he was and that he had been such a huge idiot. And Shusei had clung to him, weak as if he would crumble to the floor and would never be able to get up anymore if Hotsuma released him.

 

That night had been the first night that they had gone further than just kissing and groping, but it hadn’t brought a solution to the problem. The school committee remained important to Shusei and Hotsuma still found himself easily lost in his games, making him lose track of time, but they did try to find some middle ground. Hotsuma tried to quite gaming at a reasonable hour - and in all honesty it had to be said that the blond had now a very good reason to get under the covers earlier than usual - and Shusei allowed himself to be persuaded now and then by his partner to skip a class or leave a school committee chore in the capable hands of some other committee member so he had a bit more free time on his hands for his blond partner. But it remained a delicate balance and fights still issued now and then, making Shusei’s responsibilities related to school a sore point in their relationship.

 

Hotsuma shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up. Dark clouds were drifting over them in rapid succession, giving off a threatening glow without truly making good on the threat as the wind swept the dark, greyish cloud too quickly forward to have them release their held within rain. But it did set the mood and if Hotsuma had been superstitious, he would have sworn the weather was a forecast of what was to come.

 

His foot just reached out towards a new pebble when a very familiar silhouette rounded the corner accompanied by another silhouette Hotsuma rather would have seen getting lost than be there beside that first silhouette that had immediately drawn his attention. It had been years before he had come to realize this habit, that no matter where he was or came, his eyes always immediately sought out the one person whom truly mattered to him and he craved to see. And at first he had convinced himself it hadn’t meant anything more than his partnership with the other boy, two parts of a soul looking for their missing half, but as events had unraveled and he had found himself on the verge of losing his partner, Hotsuma had come to realize he had been lying to himself all along. That he had been trying to deny what had been right in front of him and it had nearly cost him the ultimate price. But fate had smiled kindly upon him and granted him a new chance and even though he still fucked up from time to time, ever since then Hotsuma had been nothing but honest with himself and had allowed their relationship to deepen and evolve to what it was supposed to be. And he’d be damned if he would let some half-baked Zweilt newbie get in between him and his partner.

 

Hotsuma straightened back to his full height as Shusei and Anath stepped up to him and the Murasame siblings whom had also joined Hotsuma’s side.

 

“You’re late,” Hotsuma gruffly voiced, electing a small, surprised reaction from Shusei that you would have missed if your attention hadn’t been completely on the brunet as Hotsuma’s had been.

 

Shusei’s eyes travelled to Hotsuma. “We’re sorry,” he apologized for both him and Anath although Anath looked anything but sorry. The black-haired boy looked more as if he was only humoring Shusei here and that he would have dragged Shusei away from them in a flash had he not needed them to find the Opast whom was responsible for the mess they were currently in.

 

 

Tsukumo cleared his throat. “As we ascertained yesterday,” he started, kicking off their meeting and bringing the topic to the reason they were all gathered here, “Shusei-kun doesn’t have the protective charm anymore that Yuki made for him which means that the Opast removed it to get easier to Shusei-kun.”

 

“But we know from Takashiro-sama that the crosses can’t be removed by a demon without leaving a mark so all we have to do is find the person in the school with a burn mark on his hand and we’ll have found our Opast.”

 

“Hang on,” Shusei looked mildly confused from one sibling to the other. “What charm?”

 

Toko and Tsukumo threw Anath an inquiring look. “You didn’t tell him?” Toko asked.

 

“We got side tracked,” Anath said in a tensed tone of voice, not sounding in the least sorry.

 

Hotsuma snorted, the sound immediately making Anath whirl on him. “What?! You’ve got a problem with that?!”

 

Hotsuma’s eyes narrowed angrily in response but he swallowed in his retort as Shusei stepped in between him and Anath. The brunet’s attention was on him, his back turned towards Anath. “It was my fault. I didn’t feel well and went to bed early. Anath didn’t get a chance to include me in on his talk with Toko and Tsukumo-san.”

 

Hotsuma’s anger quickly dissipated and made place for concern. “Are you okay?” he asked, his hand reaching out automatically and cupping Shusei’s elbow as if to steady the brunet.

 

“I’m fine.” Shusei quickly pulled himself free again from Hotsuma’s warm grip on his arm as he felt Anath tense up behind him due to the liberties Hotsuma took with him. He ignored the small flash of pain that travelled over Hotsuma’s face. “I was just tired.” His eyes then sought out the siblings. “Charms,” he directed his question at them, shocking Toko and Tsukumo back out of their role as silent observers.

 

“Ah, yes.” Toko’s hand reached underneath her blouse and she pulled a silver cross on a thin silver necklace out from underneath the white material. “Yuki made one for all of us,” she explained as she stepped up to Shusei and let the brunet take a closer look at the protective charm. “They all have a different stone, our own protection stone.” She gestured at the pinkish stone in the middle of her cross. “Tsukumo has an Opal, Hotsuma a ruby and yours is a peridot. They help to protect us from demonic forces.”

 

“How,” Anath inquired, gazing at Toko’s charm from over Shusei’s shoulder.

 

“Yuki blessed them. By making them himself, the simple necklace turned into an amulet. It’s one of Yuki’s special skills.”

 

“I see …” Anath answered, his eyes still riveted on the cross. His brunet lover reached out and fingered the cross.

 

“And you are sure I had one too?” Shusei asked. “Strange …” His slender fingers glided over the cold material of Toko’s cross, his facial expression thoughtful. “I can’t remember having worn one let alone owning one.”

 

“Well you did and do,” Hotsuma replied hotly, taking a step towards Shusei, Anath and Toko. “You even forced mine on me when I told Yuki to go take a hike.”

 

Shusei’s eyes left the cross and turned questioningly towards the blond. “Why?”

 

Hotsuma huffed and looked away. “I didn’t want any favors from him, but of course you had to meddle to guard the peace by promising Yuki to make me accept it some way or the other. Not that you had to put much effort in it.” Golden, intense eyes focused back on Shusei. “You knew that in fact I truly did want it but was just too stubborn to admit and accept it.”

 

Shusei held Hotsuma’s gaze for a few moments longer – wishing that in some way he could remember what the blond had just told him, even if it would be only a few fractions of the moment – and then let his eyes travel back to the siblings. “Then all we have to do is find a person here,” his eyes travelled over Toko and Tsukumo’s shoulders to the school behind them, “whom wears a burn mark in the form of a cross.”

 

“Yep,” Toko agreed enthusiastic, giving a nod with the head to emphasize her response. Anath however didn’t share her enthusiasm.

 

“What if the Opast knew about this and got one of his minions to yank it off Shusei’s neck?” he voiced.

 

“Well …” Toko trailed off, shooting her brother a look that requested for help, but Tsukumo also was at a loss for words at that moment. True, Anath had a good point and it was something they had thought about too and had discussed but Tsukumo didn’t really feel like voicing out loud the pessimistic answer they had eventually come up with, namely that they’d be back at square one without a single new plan at that moment to flush out their target. Shusei however saved them from having to indeed crush all their hopes already before they had even begun.

 

“We’ll just have to chance it,” he said. “If you guys are right, it’ll make it a whole lot easier to identify our Opast. If not, we’ll just have to come up with some other plan, but let’s not start despairing just yet before we even have given it a shot.”

 

“Right,” Toko agreed, sharing a relieved look with Tsukumo, both feeling back psyched up by Shusei’s confident words. The doubt Anath’s words had conjured up was back appeased by Shusei’s strong believing-in-the-plan kinda words. It was no wonder that before they had often looked at the brunet for guidance. Shusei’s calm and strong presence always had a soothing presence on their nerves and the boy’s ability to roll with the punches made it easy to believe in him and follow his lead as the brunet hardly ever disappointed any of them in their trust in him.

 

“So, we’re going to split up?” Anath asked, taking a step closer to Shusei to make it clear to everyone whom he’d be partnered with.

 

A dark look crossed over Hotsuma’s features, the blond inwardly bristling. Anath had already been sticking like some damn parasite to Shusei’s back, how did that bastard think to even get closer to Shusei when there hadn’t been a single inch already between him and Shusei?! He opened his mouth to voice his displeasure, not alone at Anath’s words but also at the black-haired boy’s behavior, when Tsukumo beat him to the punch, the grey haired boy voicing way better than he ever could have a perfectly good reason as to why it would be better to split Shusei and Anath up. He shot Tsukumo a grateful glance.

 

“Actually we were thinking it would be better if both you and Shusei paired up with one of us since neither of you knew about the existence of the cross,” Tsukumo said in a calm and soothing way. “That way we don’t run the risk of missing the burn mark or mistaking some other mark as the one we are looking for.”

 

“Tsukumo is right,” Toko joined in. “It wouldn’t do any good if we’d at forehand kick up a storm over nothing that could warn the Opast and make him take measurements against us.”

 

Anath looked disgruntled with the siblings’ words but he couldn’t deny the sense their words had made. His eyes flicked unhappy to Hotsuma, already guessing the direction this was going in but before any of them could actually confirm out loud his suspicion; Shusei derailed all of their plans by taking the lead and quickly dividing them into three groups.

 

“I’ll partner up with Toko,” Shusei spoke up, his eyes glancing only for a fleeting moment over towards Anath to let the black-haired boy know he too had been having a sneaky suspicion about where the Murasame siblings had been wanting to take this and that he wasn’t about to play their game and hurt Anath like this. “Anath can partner up with Tsukumo and Renjou can go solo. Renjou has already proven he can take care of himself without a problem.” Like hell Shusei was going to put Anath and Hotsuma in the same team. He wasn’t planning on cleaning up dead bodies by the end of the day.

 

Hotsuma flinched slightly as Shusei referred to him by his last name whilst Toko and Tsukumo got called by the brunet by their first name. It was clear Shusei was trying to put distance between them and whilst it hurt him, it also pleased him. Shusei clearly didn’t feel the need to do the same with the Murasame siblings which meant that he meant more to Shusei - even if the brunet tried his damn hardest to deny this very fact to himself and everyone else. Shusei’s next words - the brunet’s trust in his abilities - made his chest swell with pride. Okay, so he did know that Shusei was basically just looking for an excuse not to partner him up with that bastard of a Sagara, but the words were still uttered. And even though the Shusei stealer did his damn hardest to try and act indifferent to Shusei’s words, Hotsuma had seen that Sagara hadn’t at all been pleased with Shusei’s praise concerning his fighting skills which delighted him in turn.

 

“Fine,” Hotsuma spoke up, his eyes flicking to Toko and silently conveying the message to the girl that he’d be seeking her and Shusei out later today and would appreciate it if she could find a reason then to actually switch partnerships. The silent conversation didn’t go unnoticed by Anath whom was keeping a close eye on the siblings and Renjou, suspecting some foul play somewhere and finding his suspicion proven right. His eyes narrowed and he took a step forward towards Hotsuma.

 

“I was actually thinking of partnering up with Renjou,” Anath started, making four sets of startled eyes focus on him, “unless Renjou feels himself unable to work with me?”

 

Hotsuma’s eyes narrowed in response to the silent taunt and challenge that lay hidden behind Anath’s words and the way the black-haired boy rose his eyebrows in a mocking, questioning manner, daring him to show to Shusei how infantile he truly was by refusing the outstretched hand to stress the temporary truce between them. As if Hotsuma was going to fall for that. He’d show that bastard whom was the bigger person here but not without staying on his guard as he didn’t buy a single second Sagara’s sudden desire to work peacefully together. The bastard was more likely to plant a knife into his back than to actually play nice.

 

Hotsuma shrugged casually, ignoring Tsukumo and Toko’s worried glances in his direction. He was a big boy. He could take care of himself. “I don’t care one way or the other just as long as we can find that bloody Opast and make an end to this charade.”

 

A chilling smile appeared around Anath’s lips, making Hotsuma silently curse in his head as he suddenly felt like a stupid fly whom had believed the spider on its words that it wouldn’t eat him if he were to fly into the spun web. “Then that’s settled,” Anath replied, before anyone else could voice a single objection or Hotsuma could back out of his agreement. “I’ll see you during first break under the sakura tree at the art building,” he directed at Hotsuma after which he let his eyes travel towards Shusei, asking his lover silently whether the brunet was ready to go with him to their classroom and end this meeting.

 

Shusei met Anath’s eyes before he directed his attention for a moment again towards Toko. He exchanged quickly a few words with her after which he came into motion and followed Anath on to the school grounds.

 

Toko and Tsukumo made moves to follow the two boys into the school, but Hotsuma held them behind by stretching his arm out in front of them as they wanted to walk past him. They looked questioningly up at Hotsuma, but the blond’s attention and grim facial expression was trained on Shusei and Sagara’s back. Only when Hotsuma felt that the two boys were far enough away to be out of ear shot did he let his eyes travel to Tsukumo and Toko, revealing the reason he had held them back. “Is Shusei truly fine?” he asked, his eyes seeking out mainly Tsukumo as the grey-haired boy’s talent of God’s Ears was the most developed out of the two of them.

 

Tsukumo’s eyes went from Hotsuma to Shusei’s still retreating back. They remained trained on the brunet for a while before the golden eyes focused back on Hotsuma.   “I don’t know,” Tsukumo voiced regretfully. “I can’t feel him. My power is being blocked.”

 

Hotsuma’s eyebrows furrowed. “Would an Opast be able to do that?” he inquired.

 

Tsukumo looked deadly serious at Hotsuma. “I don’t think it’s an Opast’s doing.” His eyes travelled again over to Shusei’s retreating back. “It’s like when Yuki came to live with us in the Twilight Mansion.   Shusei has buried his heart so deeply away, I can’t reach it anymore.”

 

TBC

 


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

Hotsuma casually strolled over towards the figure that was leaning against the sakura tree in front of the window of the first year’s art class. The blond appeared to be totally relaxed but in reality all his senses were on high alert. His muscles hummed with adrenaline, the boy ready to fly into action in a flash when the need arose.

 

“You’re late.” The figure pushed himself away from the tree and threw Hotsuma a mocking smile. “Got yourself in trouble again? What was it this time? Forgot to make your homework?”

 

Although Hotsuma’s facial expression darkened, the blond refused to let himself be goated this easily into a brawl. All that mattered was to find the Opast. He needed to stay calm. Keep his cool. The quicker they found the blasted demon responsible for all of this, the quicker he’d have Shusei back by his side where the brunet belonged. “What’s the plan?” he asked calmly. “I take it Shusei and Toko are taking care of your grade and Tsukumo told me he’d be checking out our grade so that leaves the higher classes to us, unless I am mistaken.”

 

Anath smiled coldly, not liking how in check the blond before him was. From all his observations of Renjou Hotsuma, he had formed an image of a loud mouthed, impolite, ill-tempered guy whom could easily be tempted into a brawl yet here was Hotsuma proving him the exact opposite. There was obviously more to the blond than met the eye and it all had to do with one person only. Shusei. For some reason Shusei made Renjou be a better person. No, that was not it, was it? Renjou was this person, he just didn’t always show this side but for his precious Shusei the blond obviously was willing to make an effort.

 

Anath grit his teeth. This was obviously going to be a lot harder than he had anticipated. Yet he refused to lose Shusei. No matter what everyone claimed, he needed Shusei. Wanted Shusei and it would be a cold day in Hell before he’d let the brunet go. He wasn’t going to just give up on the person whom had claimed his heart. “Fine,” he said, voicing his agreement to Hotsuma’s plan. “We can go and sniff around the upper classes.” Anath started forward and pushed past Hotsuma when suddenly he changed his mind and paused, coming to a halt right behind his blond rival. “Just so you know, regardless whether or not this reality comes to dissolve or not, I won’t just be handing Shusei over to you. I don’t care what happens. He is mine and I will fight for him.”

 

An amused smile appeared on Hotsuma’s face and he gazed backwards into the steel cold eyes of Anath. “I hadn’t expected anything less from you, but let me return the favor and warn you that you don’t stand a single chance. Even if I have to kick you into oblivion, I won’t let you have him.”

 

A smile appeared around Anath’s lips that sent chills down Hotsuma’s spine and almost made the blond take involuntarily a step back. “Looking forward to it.” The corners of Anath’s lips turned up a few more notches before the black-haired boy tore away his attention from Hotsuma and started to move forward again, walking in a completely relaxed pace in the direction Hotsuma had just come from.

 

For a few moments Hotsuma just stared after Anath. He didn’t like at all the cowering feeling Anath had suddenly been able to awaken inside of him with only just a smile. No, it had been more than just a sinister smile, hadn’t it? For some reason that smile had made it feel like he had been staring down the barrel of a gun, waiting for the trigger to be pulled and the bullet to be sent from the chamber straight between his two eyes, his entire body paralyzed and him unable to avoid the oncoming threat. But what did this mean? Did he truly see Anath as a threat? Did a part of him truly believe he may have thrown down a challenge here he won’t be able to bring to a good ending? Hotsuma’s fists clenched. No, he couldn’t lose Shusei. He wouldn’t lose him.

 

With a determined expression on his face Hotsuma started after Anath, promising himself to dig deeper into the great mystery Anath Sagara proved to be cause no matter what, Hotsuma couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off with the black-haired boy.

\----------------------------------------

Hotsuma leant bored against the hallway as he watched Anath work his mojo on the upper class students. When they had started their little quest for the burn mark, all three groups had found themselves confronted with the same, huge problem … the long sleeves off their uniform. Granted some students had rolled up their sleeves but most pupils wore them completely pulled down to ward off the still lingering cold from the last remains of the passing winter and this wouldn’t have been such a huge problem had it not been for most of those students actually having stretched the sleeves so far down that even part of their hands were covered by the white material of their shirts. Some had even gone as far as to pull their sleeves almost completely over their hands, making finding the person with a burn mark in the form of a cross on the hand as good as impossible. Or that would have been the case had they not regrouped during lunch and hadn’t Tsukumo come up with the brilliant idea of using their powers.

 

Hotsuma wasn’t too sure about how the Murasame siblings were using their Ears of God talent to track down the burn mark on a covered up hand or how Shusei’s power actually came in to play but he did know now - thanks to his temporary partnership with Sagara - how the Touch of God’s power worked. The black-haired boy only had to touch a person’s hand lightly in passing and could sense whom all had touched said hand and whether the hand consisted out of smooth skin or wore the scar of a burn mark on it. His own power however was useless in their search – unless he’d try to implement Toko’s suggestion to heat up the school building and turn the inside of the building into a sauna which would have as a result that the students would shed most of their clothes and would give them a nice, clear view on everyone’s hands. But all Hotsuma had been able to picture in front of his mind eye was the sound of sirens racing down the street towards the school and fire trucks stopping in front of a school reduced to ashes so he had wisely thanked for the suggestion and taken a step back in this what seemed to start to look like a wild goose chase.

 

Hotsuma closed his eyes for a few moments and tilted his head backwards. It was stupid but he felt left out. Here he had been, putting on a big mouth and telling everyone whom had dared to question him that he’d be the one to bring Shusei back home, but when push came to shove he was utter useless. Just like before when that Ashley chick had taken Shusei and had threatened his partner’s life and all he had been able to accomplish was to get himself locked up in his fucking bedroom. If it hadn’t been for Yuki back then, Tsukumo, Toko and he wouldn’t even be here cause then there wouldn’t be a Shusei anymore to find and save. His partner would have found his death already months before this had happened.

 

 _“And yet you came.”_ Before Hotsuma’s mind eye appeared an image of his brown-haired partner whom was looking at him with that soft, warm and loving attention Shusei always seemed to regard him with. _“You came and saved me. It doesn’t matter how your presence there came to be. All that matters is that you came for me.”_

 

Hotsuma’s eyelids lifted again and his attention focused anew on Sagara whom was standing a few feet away from him and was having an animated conversation with one of the upper class students. Hotsuma was just about to push himself off the wall and go and scowl at the black-haired youth for wasting their precious time like this when Shusei and Toko rounded the corner. Shusei threw Hotsuma a quick glance before focusing completely on Anath and walking over to his lover. Hotsuma’s scowl grew. He hated this. He hated being so close to Shusei and yet so far that he might have well still been at home instead of here.

 

“Just hang in there, Hotsuma,” Toko’s soft voice floated over to the angered blond from where she had stepped up beside him. Her hand came to rest on Hotsuma’s tensed up shoulder and she gave a gentle, comforting and encouraging squeeze before her hand dropped back down. “You guys have already survived so much, there is no way Shusei will let this get between you.”

 

Hotsuma growled angrily, the anger not directed at anyone but himself. This was all his fault. Cause he had been too weak. Cause he had been unable to keep the person whom mattered the most to him safe. “He is doing a mighty good job though at doing the exact opposite.” He gave a final, burning glare in Sagara’s direction before suddenly focusing all his attention on Toko. “Does he love him?” he asked her. “I mean, does Shusei truly love that Sagara character?”

 

Hotsuma’s question held a sadness and a desperate desire for Toko to tell the blond “no”, but even if there was nothing more Toko would have loved to tell Hotsuma, there was no denying the truth and lying about it here and now would only make things worse in the long end. “Yes, he does,” Toko silently answered Hotsuma, wanting nothing more than to take her words back and lie after all as she witnessed the crestfallen look on Hotsuma’s face. She wanted to reach out and draw him into a comforting hug but remained standing where she was, knowing Hotsuma wouldn’t accept that openly sign of affection from her right now for everyone else to see. Instead she just smiled soft and sympathetic at him.

 

Toko didn’t need Hotsuma to explain to her how the blond was currently feeling. All she had to do was imagine how she would feel if it were her and Tsukumo in this situation and she already managed to get a good idea of the emotions running through Hotsuma currently. To Zweilts Yuki was important - the most important being out of all of them - but if they were completely honest, each older Zweilt had to admit that in the end there was no one more important to them than their very own Zweilt partner. Over all the reincarnations a bond was formed between them and without the other there, you didn’t feel whole. And if one came to die, the other soon came to follow as if the deceased Zweilt had taken with his or her’s death their partner’s vitality with. So far the maximum timeframe was one year for a Zweilt left behind but in that one year the left behind Zweilt was sure to meet his or hers end. A predicament each Zweilt felt as a curse and as a blessing at the same time as one only found peace when one finally was able to join their lost partner again, even if it was in death.

 

Someone had once mentioned during one of her lifetimes that a surviving Zweilt reminded him of a bird with broken wings that couldn’t take flight anymore and that this was why the other Zweilt came to die eventually as a bird that can’t fly anymore is unable to survive on the ground with all its dangers. Toko couldn’t help but agree with that statement although she wouldn’t say that it were the bird’s wings that were broken, but just its spirit. They still could fly yet they sought out their death themselves by staying on the ground and as she regarded Hotsuma, Toko couldn’t help but say a silent prayer to whomever was listening as she was convinced that if Shusei truly would be lost to Hotsuma, they would soon come to lose the blond. Shusei was Hotsuma’s strength. Hotsuma needed the brunet and if Shusei would truly be gone, Hotsuma was sure to follow soon after. All these weeks that there hadn’t been a single trace of the brunet, all that had kept Hotsuma on his feet was the blond’s determination and belief that he would find his partner. But where would the blond still be able to draw strength from if Shusei himself came to push Hotsuma aside? What would be left for Hotsuma then?

 

Toko’s eyes came to rest saddened on Shusei, not sure what she exactly was hoping to find there or do. Sent the brunet a silent message not to let Hotsuma down? Find a sign that, yes, the blond was still firmly lodged somewhere within Shusei’s heart? What was it that she was hoping to find there? Her brother had already told them that it was impossible to read Shusei’s heart anymore and as she was standing closer to the brunet now and her own Ears of God power was strong enough to pick up any emotions coming from Shusei, Toko had to silently agree with Tsukumo. There was nothing there save the strong emotions that the brunet held for Anath that pulsated through Shusei’s being. It was almost on the verge of being painful and Toko withdrew her power from Shusei. She frowned. Shusei’s feelings for Anath ran through the boy’s being with an angry red, pulsating and burning force. It was almost scorching.

 

Toko’s eyes flipped to Sagara. Never before had she sensed such feelings and she was pretty sure that her brother would agree with her had he been here. But what was it then with Sagara that had made such feelings develop within Shusei? Or …

 

Toko felt torn. She bit her bottom lip as she glanced sideways at Hotsuma. Or was this how it truly felt when one was reunited with their true soul mate? Had they all been wrong all these lifetimes, thinking their Zweilt partner was the one they were meant to be with and was Shusei showing them now how foolish they had been all this time as their real soul mate was still somewhere out there, waiting for them to be found? But if that really was the case, then it would completely devastate Hotsuma.

 

Toko quickly looked away before the blond would notice her staring at him and would read something in her eyes she wanted to keep from him. Her eyes automatically came to rest again on Shusei and Sagara, unable to help and notice how natural they seemed to be around each other as if they truly did belong and were two halves of the same soul.

 

“They’re not,” a voice spoke up from behind Toko.

 

Toko glanced over her shoulder and threw her brother a questioning glance.

 

“Look at them,” Tsukumo continued; answering his sister’s unspoken demand. “ **Really** look at them. They are **too** perfect together. No one can be this perfectly paired. It is artificial. Unreal.”

 

Toko frowned at her brother’s words and focused back on Sagara and Shusei, noticing now too the faint lines of the façade that hung in the air and that were so subtle that one would easily miss them. Sagara and Shusei seemed perfect together but now that she was able to see past the pretense, Toko could sense a certain distance between Shusei and Sagara. And as she grabbed on to said distance her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as the small, existing gap between the two boys wasn’t Sagara’s doing or got contributed to by Sagara but was all Shusei’s doing.

 

Toko’s confused eyes whirled towards her brother’s face. “I don’t understand. His feelings, he loves Sagara. Why is he keeping him at bay?”

 

Tsukumo’s eyes travelled from Shusei and Sagara’s form to his sister’s face. “I told you. Shusei has buried his heart. I think he has done it on purpose. To protect it.”

 

“From Sagara?” Hotsuma joined in, his voice sounding hopeful; only to have said hope brutally crushed again as Tsukumo answered him.

 

“I don’t know. Maybe, or maybe Sagara is also just a pawn used by the Opast to lure Shusei’s heart back out.” Tsukumo’s eyes settled seriously on Hotsuma. “We still don’t know why Sagara was also brought to this dimension or why he and Shusei are the only Zweilts the Opast brought here. All we know is that the Opast has an infatuation with Shusei and wants him. Maybe Shusei buried his heart out of reach from the Opast before the Opast could get to it and claim it and had the Opast no other choice but to bring in someone else from whom he knew he’d be able to bring back out Shusei’s heart again so he could still claim it as his in the end after all. Naturally you would have been the best choice for this job, Hotsuma, but the Opast wants Shusei so of course he’d want to keep you as far away from Shusei as possible until he has accomplished his goal, seeing you only as a last resort.”

 

“But wait a minute,” Toko interrupted. “If what you are saying is true, then Sagara has failed what he was intended to do here which would mean that us finding Shusei suddenly a few days ago, could have all been put in motion by that blasted Opast. He wanted us here. Wanted Hotsuma here to do what Sagara is unable to do.”

 

Tsukumo nodded. “Possible. And if that is the case then we’ll have to keep a close eye on Sagara cause he is redundant now to the Opast.”

 

“Do you think that is why Shusei doesn’t remember me anymore?” Hotsuma’s eyes flicked to Shusei’s form for a second before focusing again on Tsukumo. “Cause he doesn’t want to remember me? Cause he knows why the Opast finally allowed me here and wants to prevent the Opast from reaching his goal?”

 

Tsukumo shrugged. “Maybe. I wouldn’t put it past Shusei to have figured out long ago the Opast’s plan and Shusei doing everything in his own power to thwart the Opast.”

 

“But if that would be the case,” Toko’s eyes travelled to the brunet, “then why keep up the charade? Why doesn’t he let us in and let us help? There is no reason for him to hide anymore.”

 

Tsukumo’s eyes followed his sister’s gaze and also stared at the brunet in question. “Maybe there is more going on than we know.  Don’t forget we are also dealing with those false created memories Shusei and Sagara share. And it is possible Shusei is just unable to return. Maybe he has gone too far and has he sacrificed his memories and heart and is there no way back anymore.”

 

An angry hit sounded, making the siblings slightly jump in surprise and draw their attention to the angry scowling blond beside them whom had just slammed his fist against the wall. Hotsuma’s eyes were trained on Shusei, a determined force burning fiercely in the golden orbs. “I don’t care if I have to go into his head and drag each single memory back to the surface barehanded, but I will make him remember me and I will bring him back. And then I am going to go after that fucking bastard and will make him regret ever having laid his eyes on Shusei. I’ll send him back to the depths of hell and I’ll send him in so many little pieces that not even the Demon King himself will be able to put him back together. I’ll make him regret everything he has ever done to Shusei.”

 

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

Shusei’s eyes lifted and travelled away from their little group to the short, brown-haired girl whom was approaching them. The girl stopped a few feet away from them. She looked uncertainly from Anath and Shusei to the rest of the group. Her hand reached up and tucked a lose strand of her shoulder length hair back behind her ear. She held a bunch of papers in her other hand.

 

“Harada.” Shusei smiled pleasantly at the younger girl, his kind and gentle voice and facial expression open and inviting for the girl to speak up and tell them why she had sought them out. “Is there something I can help you with?”

 

Harada bit nervously on her bottom lip. Her brown eyes shifted from Shusei to Anath and then from Anath to Hotsuma, Toko and Tsukumo. It was clear to everyone that Harada didn’t feel comfortable around them despite Shusei’s attempt to have put the girl at ease. “Forgive me for interrupting,” she bowed apologetic, “I just …” she trailed off, throwing another nervous glance at Renjou and the Murasame siblings.

 

“Is it committee business?” Anath’s kind voiced question made Harada’s attention return to Sagara.

 

“No,” she answered. “I just …” Her eyes nervously slipped again towards Hotsuma.

 

Anath’s facial expression softened and he stepped away from the others. His right hand came to rest in the hollow of Harada’s back and he gently led her a bit away from the others. “What’s wrong?” he asked kindly when they were out of ear shot of the others.

 

Harada threw another nervous glance over her shoulder at Renjou and the Murasame siblings before she let her eyes settle back upon Sagara. She leant towards the black-haired boy, closing the distance even more between them and allowing her to speak in a soft, hushed voice just in case. “I’m sorry. I was just worried about you and Usui-senpai when I saw them with you. I thought you didn’t get along with them and yet …” she shrugged helpless, glancing anew at Hotsuma, Toko and Tsukumo before returning her attention to Anath.

 

Anath smiled charmingly down at her. “It’s okay, Harada. It was just a misunderstanding. There is no need for you to worry, but thank you. And while I have you here, allow me to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I didn’t mean to scare or alarm you or any of your classmates in any way. It was very inconsiderate of me and it won’t happen again. My apologies.”

 

“No, no,” Harada interjected quickly. She shook her head, her eyes wide open. “It is all right, really. Just as long as you and Usui-senpai are fine.”

 

Anath smiled warmly at the girl in front of him. “We are, thank you for your concern.”

 

“Okay.” Harada smiled pleased back at him. “I’ll be going then. Fuyo-senpai asked me to photocopy these papers,” she lightly shook the papers in her hand, “and you know how he hates waiting.”

 

Anath released a small laugh and placed his hand back against the hollow of Harada’s back, giving her a playful but gentle push. “You’d better get going then before he explodes.”

 

Harada answered his laugh with one of her own. She turned slightly and gave a wave in Shusei’s direction, a smile on her face. “I will see you later, Usui-senpai!” she called out.

 

Shusei nodded in Harada’s direction - acknowledging her parting - after which Harada started away from them. She hadn’t yet taken five steps or a sudden strong gust yanked at the papers in her hand and made them scatter around in the air. Harada reached her arms and hands out, desperately trying to catch the papers again and as she did, both her shirt sleeves glided faintly down. Both her wrists got revealed.

 

Tsukumo’s eyes widened as Toko let out a gasp of surprise and shock. On the lower part of Harada’s right palm - and going slightly over onto her wrist - stood the faint burn mark of a cross. “It’s her,” Tsukumo whispered. “Harada is the Opast.”

 

“Harada?” Hotsuma asked, unable to believe Tsukumo’s accusation. Sure the girl had been a pain in the ass ever since they’d gotten here but surely that wasn’t enough of a reason to accuse someone of being a part of the demonic clans. Or had there been an ulterior motive for Harada’s behavior towards him …

 

Hotsuma’s eyes left Shusei’s figure and settled finally also on the girl whom he hadn’t paid any attention to till now. His eyebrows furrowed as Harada had managed to gather all of her papers again – with the added help from Sagara and Shusei - and the material of her white shirt had fallen back over her wrists and the palms of her hands. His eyes left Harada’s form and came to rest on Tsukumo and Toko anew. “Are you sure?” he asked. The siblings nodded perfectly in synch as if they had practiced it and Hotsuma’s eyes turned back towards Harada. “But, shouldn’t you have noticed then before?” he asked, still confused. “You scanned our grade, didn’t you?” his question got directed at Tsukumo alone this time. “Didn’t you check her out then too?”

 

“She wasn’t in class this morning,” Tsukumo answered. “Dental appointment apparently.”

 

A thoughtful frown appeared on Hotsuma’s forehead as he tried to recall whether or not something had been said about Harada’s absence this morning in class yet he drew up a blank. Not that this surprised him much.   He did have more important things on his mind than some stuck up student representative wannabe.

 

“God,” Toko whispered. She and Tsukumo were still staring at Harada whom wasn’t yet done talking with Shusei and Anath. Shusei was helping the girl to check whether they hadn’t missed a committee paper after all.   “And here I was convinced we were looking for some male student since the Opast is a male,” Toko continued. “Not to mention that I was convinced he’d be somewhere in the same year as Shusei so he could keep a better eye on Shusei. Of course Harada is in the school committee with Shusei so they do spend a lot of time together.”

 

Tsukumo nodded his agreement. “It’s the perfect disguise. I hadn’t given much thought to Harada’s absence either since I too hadn’t expected him to be this cunning. Thank God for that sudden gust or we probably still wouldn’t have known.”

 

“Known what?” Anath asked as he and Shusei joined the other three again.

 

Toko and Tsukumo shared a look before Toko was the one to include Shusei and Anath into their discovery. “Harada is our Opast.”

 

“Harada?!” Anath repeated shocked to add immediately in a firm manner: “Impossible!” His icy, blue eyes travelled to Harada’s retreating back and he shook his head in denial. “No. Shusei and I would have known. We would have sensed it. Besides, weren’t we looking for a male Opast?!” His eyes came to rest bewildered again on the Murasame siblings.

 

Tsukumo ignored Anath’s protest and addressed Shusei. “Has Harada tried to approach you more than normal, Shusei? Searched for ways to spend more time together with you than should be?”

 

Shusei gazed thoughtfully at Harada’s disappearing back. It was true that the girl had spent a lot of time with him, but he hadn’t sought anything behind it. Just a younger student looking for guidance and help in becoming a good student representative. Harada had even said this herself one day. Said that she wanted to become like him. A representative on whom students could count and who did his utmost best to improve school life for all concerned so going to school could become a more enjoyable experience. And she had seemed so sincere back then. It couldn’t all just have been a lie, could it? Then again, why him? Why not the school president himself? Or one of the other school committee members? It was true that she seemed to have immediately zoomed in on him from the very first second she had set foot in the committee’s assigned classroom. He had always believed it had been due to his reputation, but what if that wasn’t the case? What if there truly was some other, underlying reason? But what about the rest of his past then? Harada hadn’t been there. She hadn’t gone to the same kindergarten school as him and Anath. Nor had she been in the elementary school they had attended. Or had she? Just under some other disguise? No, that’s right, how could he have forgotten. Shusei’s eyes travelled back to stare at Toko, Tsukumo and Hotsuma. His shared memories with Anath were false ones, weren’t they? Harada didn’t need to be included in them. At least that’s what they had been saying.

 

Truth be told he and Anath had just followed the others in their belief to humor them. But neither he or Anath had expected to truly find an Opast with a burn mark cause this only fuelled the others’ words. Made that Renjou and the Murasame siblings had been telling the truth. It meant that he and Anath …

 

Shusei’s eyes slid sideways to his lover. Anath was looking intensely back at him and this alone was already enough to make his heart constrict guilty and painfully because he had dared to entertain so easily for a moment there that he and Anath weren’t meant to be.  

 

God, how could he have done that to Anath? How could he have so easily given up on them? How could he have betrayed his lover like that? No. No, he refused to believe all of this was false. He refused to betray Anath like that and throw their shared memories carelessly away as if they didn’t mean anything. He opened his mouth to voice his protest when Hotsuma’s rough voice cut him off.

 

“It doesn’t matter,” the blond said darkly. “We corner her and draw her out. This way we’ll know soon enough whether or not we are right.”

 

Hotsuma’s gut feeling had been screaming at him to react. To cut Shusei off before the brunet could have formed an answer to Tsukumo’s voiced question as part of him seemed to have known what the answer was going to be and no, he hadn’t wanted to hear those words. He hadn’t wanted to hear Shusei declare his love for Anath or his belief in the black-haired boy. It already hurt him enough to have to witness it day in day out. Each time he was forced to grit his teeth and reign in his desire to just grab Shusei by the shoulders and shake some sense in the brunet boy. To make Shusei remember and look again at him like that and be his again as the brown-haired boy was supposed to be. ‘Wake up, Shusei!’ He wanted to scream at his partner. ‘Just wake the fuck up!’ Yet he didn’t as he knew this wasn’t the way to go, but this didn’t mean however that his entire being wasn’t humming with the need to do so all the same. This whole ordeal certainly was taking a toll on his self-control.

 

Hotsuma looked away from Shusei and raked his hand through his untamed, blond strands, using the gesture to try and get himself back under control before he truly did something foolish and ruined everything. Why couldn’t they just wave a bloody magic wand and put everything back the way it was supposed to be? Why did things always have to be so complicated? Why did Shusei always have to make things complicated?

 

Hotsuma’s eyes trained back on Shusei’s form from under his bangs. Why couldn’t they ever just catch a break? Why did they always have to do everything the hard way?

 

Hotsuma sighed. It would be so simple to just pull away from Shusei and give up on them and spare them all of the hardship they always seemed to have to endure whenever they tried to be more than just partners. There wouldn’t be those heartbreaking sobs anymore in the middle of the night, a pale silhouette illuminated by the moonlight as she sat at the window sill grieving over her inability to get pregnant. There wouldn’t be those uncertain glances anymore directed at Yuki, a wrong believe in those golden green orbs that Hotsuma’s heart only truly beat for Yuki. There wouldn’t be the self-destructiveness from his partner anymore, the only way his partner still knew how to still feel alive. But even if Hotsuma knew Shusei would be better off without him, he was unable to let the brunet go. He needed Shusei, needed his partner more than life itself. And so he bore it all and witnessed Shusei’s pain life after life, telling himself each time that next time he’d do better. Next time he wouldn’t cause that saddened gleam anymore in those golden green orbs that captivated him reincarnation after reincarnation. ‘But each time, I fail, don’t I, Shusei? Each time I let you down.’

 

Sadness entered Hotsuma’s eyes and he lowered his head more to hide this weakness from the others. If only there was some way to make everything right …

 

_“And then what?” Shusei’s voice sounded, an image of his brown-haired partner when he was still a girl appearing before his mind eye. Her long, brown hair hung lose over her shoulders and a simple, sleeveless, white dress flowed around her slender frame. Around her lips was the ghost of a soft smile and her head was lightly tilted sideways. Her right hand reached out and cupped the cheek of his own past self. “Where will we be then?”_

_His own past self’s hand came to rest softly over Shusei’s hand on his cheek. His head pressed slightly stronger into the softness of Shusei’s palm, feeling each hardened spot on her hand where the skin had grown taut and rough from their life as Zweilts. “Shusei,” he muttered softly, a gentle shake of her head silencing him._

_“No, Hotsuma,” she said softly. “I need you. I want you. Only you. I don’t care what life throws on my path just as long as you are there. I love you and I only ever want to be with you.”_

_“But …” his own past self started to object only to find Shusei’s finger suddenly pressed against his lips, her hand having slipped out from underneath his own palm._

_“Sshh, darling,” she whispered. “It’s okay. One day … One day we’ll get it right.”_

‘But when will that day come, Shusei?’ Hotsuma’s mind asked the brunet as he stared at his one and only. ‘When will we get it right and how much do we still have to endure before this happens?’

 

_Girl Shusei smiled at him. She leant in and gave a ghost of a kiss on Hotsuma’s lips after which she disappeared, a final whisper left behind in the wind. “Stay strong.”_

“Hotsuma?”

 

Hotsuma blinked, Toko’s worried glance appearing in front of him. The girl was lightly shaking his shoulder.

 

Hotsuma blinked anew and brought his hand to his mouth, still feeling the tingling of Shusei’s lips on his own or maybe that was just his wishful thinking.

 

“Are you all right?” Toko looked up at him, peering underneath his bangs to gaze straight into his eyes.

 

Hotsuma blushed. Toko was just too close for comfort. He pushed her away whilst muttering something about being fine and that he didn’t need her to crowd his personal space.

 

Toko grinned and then turned back to the others. Anath and Shusei were in a heated discussion with Tsukumo, both boys still not wanting to believe what the others had discovered about Harada. The ringing of the school bell made an end to the conversation. “We’ll talk further about this later on,” Anath said, his tone of voice making it clear that as far as he was concerned this discussion was currently over. He turned away from the others. “Coming, Shusei?”

 

Shusei threw a final look at Hotsuma, Toko and Tsukumo before he fell in step with Anath and left the three other Zweilts on their own. The siblings and Hotsuma stared after them, Hotsuma feeling as if he had hit a wall whereas Shusei was involved. Sure, his partner had always been cautious and hadn’t jumped on every suspicion that had left Hotsuma’s mouth, but before Shusei had always granted him the benefit of the doubt. Now all Shusei seemed to do however was side with Anath without even listening to a single thing Hotsuma said. The blond felt like punching someone or something.

 

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” Hotsuma slammed Anath into the row of lockers. The black-haired boy didn’t put up any defense and just took the abuse. He let himself collide with the metal of the lockers before he raised warning eyes on Hotsuma that told the blond that this shove had been free of charge but that the next one would cost Hotsuma.

 

“He’ll be fine,” Anath replied coldly.

 

“Fine?! You just left him alone with that blasted Opast!” Hotsuma roared back. A hand landed on his shoulder to calm him back down again but he angrily shook it off. He didn’t want to be calm. He didn’t want to see reason. All he wanted was Shusei here and safe, not together in one room with the very creature that had caused their separation in the first place.

 

“Harada has never tried anything before on school grounds. I doubt she’ll begin now,” Anath reasoned, his tone of voice still lacking any form of warmth. “Besides, one, I still don’t believe she is the one we’re after, and two, Shusei isn’t alone with her. The whole school committee is there. Shusei will be fine.”

 

“As if,” Hotsuma snorted before he brusquely twisted around on the ball off his feet and shoved past the Murasame siblings to make his way to the school committee room. He couldn’t believe what an idiot Sagara had been to allow Shusei to go to a sudden called together school committee meeting on his own without any back up. Normally Sagara was glued to Shusei like some damn blood sucking vermin and now, the only time he should have been by Shusei’s side, that blasted idiot had left Shusei on his own. Stupid jerk.

 

“You’re making a mistake!” Anath’s voice called after Hotsuma, accompanied by a hurried footfall that soon enough brought the black-haired boy at shoulder level with Hotsuma. Absentminded Hotsuma noted how Anath and he were the same height. A perfect fit with Shusei’s.

 

“If you go storming in there like this and Harada is indeed the Opast we’re after then you’ll be giving everything away and how are we going to save Shusei then?” Anath continued. His hand reached out and wanted to grab Hotsuma’s shoulder to halt the blond, but a quick movement of Hotsuma’s arm blocked the gesture. Hotsuma deflected Anath’s hand and threw the black-haired boy his own warning that Anath had no right what so ever to touch him let alone prevent him from getting to Shusei.

 

“Don’t touch me,” Hotsuma gritted out through clenched teeth. He had no idea what was going on but for some strange reason he was completely feeling riled up ever since Anath had approached them on his lonesome and had told them where Shusei had been called to. There was just this feeling in the pit of his stomach that Anath had just fucked up completely and that he needed to get to Shusei as quickly as possible. Of course this could also just be his fear of losing Shusei again that was playing tricks on his mind but Hotsuma was willing to risk it if it meant keeping Shusei safe. He’d rather make a complete and utter fool of himself than to let Shusei down a second time.

 

Hotsuma reached the closed door of the school committee assigned classroom and burst inside without knocking or asking for permission to enter. The closer he had gotten to his destination, the stronger his feeling of dread had become and it had thrown all reason and any form of politeness out of the window. He halted right inside the doorway, making Anath crash into him, the black-haired boy having been right behind him. His golden eyes scanned the room. The five pair of startled eyes he had expected to be staring up at him were missing. Instead he was looking at three figures slumped unconsciously over the desks that they had been sitting at. Shusei and Harada were nowhere to be seen. Their papers and pens still lay on the desk as if they had only just stepped outside and would be back any second and had it not been for the unconscious forms of the three other committee members, Hotsuma would have been willing to hope for this scenario, but now … Now he felt as if his world came crashing down. Not again, his mind chanted. Oh God, please, not again.

 

Dimly Hotsuma was aware of someone pushing him further into the room and other bodies brushing past him. Tsukumo and Toko appeared in his line of vision, the two siblings checking on the three remaining committee members. “They’re just unconscious,” Toko shared relieved, but Hotsuma didn’t feel any relief at all. Shusei was gone. His partner was once again gone. Snatched away from him and it was all Sagara’s fault. It was all that dimwit’s fault! With an angry growl Hotsuma whirled towards Anath, his fist moving at the same time and aiming for Anath.

 

Anath easily evaded the thrown punch, having expected this reaction from Hotsuma.   He moved a safe distance away from the fuming blond. “This ain’t helping Shusei,” he stated sternly, leveling Hotsuma with a glare. “The longer we fight, the more time she has to take him God knows where.”

 

“Sagara is right, Hotsuma.” Toko stepped forward, placing herself in the blond’s line of vision. “The meeting only started a few minutes ago. Harada can’t be too far yet.”

 

Behind Toko, Tsukumo sauntered over to Shusei’s desk and picked up one of the brunet’s pens. He closed his eyes and concentrated, the pen held in the formed, closed cup of his hands.

 

“What’s he doing?” Anath asked, his confused facial expression travelling from Tsukumo to Toko and Hotsuma.

 

“Tsukumo is using his Ear’s of God ability. It’s possible he can pick up a hint of where Harada took Shusei, provided Shusei was still conscious when she revealed herself to him,” Toko explained calmly.

 

“And if he was unconscious?” Anath questioned.

 

Tsukumo put Shusei’s pen back down and repeated the process with Harada’s pen.

 

“Let me guess,” Anath said, “nothing then.”

 

Toko gave Anath a saddened, confirming smile before all their attention got drawn to Tsukumo as the grey-haired boy laid Harada’s pen back on the desk. A frown marred Tsukumo’s young features. “Harada took him. Yet she was smart. She masked her intentions from me. I have no idea where she took him. But …” Tsukumo helpless shook his head. “Despite all the evidence I just can’t help but feel like something is off here. Harada has been using this pen a while already yet her cruel intentions only manifested today it seems.”

 

“Do you think she’s been using a shield cause she knew we’d be coming with Hotsuma?” Toko questioned.

 

“I don’t know. It certainly seems that way,” Tsukumo replied.

 

“Didn’t you get anything off their pens?”   Hotsuma took a step towards Tsukumo. “Not even a general direction?”

 

Tsukumo shook his head sadly. “I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s not your fault,” Toko replied softly, stepping up to her brother. “Takashiro warned us we’d be up against a cunning Opast. We should have guessed that Harada would have taken her precautions.”

 

A crash sounded as Hotsuma suddenly tripped a desk over in anger and helplessness. The Murasame siblings watched him with a sympathetic gaze, both feeling in their heart as if they had failed their friends. They had been so close …

 

“Toko,” Tsukumo suddenly spoke up, “give me your hand. Maybe we can synch both our God Ears and strengthen its power. Perhaps that way we can break through Harada’s shield and get an idea after all about where she is residing.”

 

A hopeful light shone in Toko’s eyes as she reached out towards her brother’s outstretched hand.

 

“There is no need for that,” Anath spoke up, opening his eyes again. During the conversation between Toko, Tsukumo and Hotsuma, he had kept quiet and closed his eyes, searching for Shusei in his own way. “I know where he is.”

 

“You do?” Toko and Tsukumo looked surprised at Anath, their hands linked.

 

“I doubt it’ll be as simple as Harada having taken Shusei to the home address she registered here at school,” Hotsuma snarled.

 

“Can your power find him?” Toko continued, ignoring Hotsuma’s rude comment.

 

“No, but I can feel him here.” Anath touched the spot of his chest where his heart lay. “I can sense him.” His blue eyes travelled towards Hotsuma. “If you are truly Shusei’s partner, like you claim to be, then surely you can sense him too.” Anath’s eyes narrowed in a challenging manner.

 

Hotsuma looked rigid away from Anath, telling the other wordlessly that no, he was unable to sense his partner like this. Shusei had always showed a certain affinity towards knowing where he was but until now he hadn’t ever been able to sense his partner in the same manner. It had just been sheer dumb luck that he had found Shusei back then in Ashley’s lair. He had just been taking corridor after corridor like a headless chicken, hoping that in the end one would be the right one and bring him to Shusei. But not for a single moment had he truly felt Shusei’s presence in that maze that could have guided him like Ariadne’s thread.

 

A triumphantic gleam appeared in Anath’s eyes and a smile made the corners of his lips curl up victoriously. “Are you sure you want to keep up your little charade and keep claiming Shusei is yours?”

 

Hotsuma’s angry facial expression whirled back towards Anath, his hands clenched in fists, knuckles turning white from the pressure applied. “Shusei is MY partner. Get that into your head! He and I share way more past than you and he do.”

 

Anath’s smile broadened. “Maybe, but still, it stays strange that you can’t sense him then while I already can after just one lifetime with him. Oh well, maybe the problem isn’t the time span but Shusei’s own feelings. Maybe he has blocked you all this time, not wanting to be this close to you.”

 

“You bastard!” Hotsuma roared out, lunging forward only to have Tsukumo’s arms suddenly encircle him from behind and hold him back. Curses started to tumble out of Hotsuma’s mouth as he struggled against Tsukumo’s grip on him.

 

“This isn’t helping, Sagara,” Toko voiced, stepping between Hotsuma and Anath and giving the black-haired boy a cold and stern regard.

 

Anath’s eyes shifted from the fuming blond behind Toko to the girl. His expression returned normal. “You are right, Murasame-san. I apologize. I’m sure there is an easy explanation as to why your friend can’t feel Shusei whilst I can. But for now let us be grateful that at least **one** of us is capable to come to Shusei’s rescue.”

 

“He wouldn’t need any rescue if it weren’t for you to begin with! And let me the fuck go, Tsukumo!”

 

“No,” Tsukumo’s reply came. “You may not like it, but if you want to get Shusei back, we’ll need him and he won’t be of much use to us if you knock him unconscious.”

 

“Damn it!” Hotsuma roared, kicking for good measurements another desk over that was within his reach. “Fuck it! FUCK IT!!!!”

 

Feeling Hotsuma’s tense muscles suddenly relax, Tsukumo let the blond lose. He took a step away from Hotsuma, but remained ready to jump back forward just in case it’d be needed.

 

Hotsuma’s head lifted, his mouth set in a thin, firm line. The earlier anger had dissipated and had given room to reason. “Fine,” he addressed Anath. “Then take us to him.” Hotsuma hated having to ask his arch rival for help, but for Shusei, for Shusei he’d do anything. Even crawl on hands and knees to the other end of the world. First thing was to get Shusei back safe and unharmed and after that he could always still pummel Sagara to a pulp.

 

Anath smiled triumphantic. “I thought you’d never ask.”

 

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

“You have got to be kidding me.” Hotsuma wrinkled his nose in disgust as he looked up at the towering construction in front of them. Anath had led them through various streets towards an abandoned fair. They had walked past a merry go round, a ball throwing stall, two shooting stalls, a gaming stall and a pizza stall; all the boots had been creepily deserted as if the people had just vanished into thin air. From the pizza stall had still come the smell of burnt pizzas that had been unceremoniously abandoned in the small ovens. The merry go round had still been going around in circles. The ball for the floss - that granted a free extra ride to the child that could catch the floss – had been swaying softly in the wind, the floss lying on one of the rides – an unicorn to be more precise. In the ball throwing stall had been a few towers of cans partially knocked over and some balls had still been laying in the baskets on the counter from where kids could throw at the cans. The guns that lay on the counters in the shooting stalls had lain in neat rows apart from a few that had been thrown down here and there and that had been laying across the other guns or had been laying skewed. Across from these guns balloons had snapped into pieces, evidence that they had been shot by people. The whole thing had given off an eerie feeling. It had given Hotsuma goose-bumps on his arms and had made him quicken his pace to pass these boots all the faster and leave them behind him. Now they were standing in front of the haunted house that was situated at the back of the fair.

 

The wooden construction of this attraction existed out of high, grey painted panels. In the front was one black hole above which the word “entrance” flashed. The letters were painted in a blood red color and gave off the feeling that the red color was blood that was dripping off the letters. Next to the entrance – on the right side – stood a single red handprint. The grey walls were for the rest decorated with the black contours of a ghost that held a scythe and that was flying after a young girl. The young girl was looking terrified and she was running away from the death bringer. A few paces in front of the young girl was a pit out of which fleshy colored tentacles shot that reached for the girl and wanted to drag her into the pit that was actually a giant mouth with two rows of sharp shark teeth that were ready to cut up their prey into tiny pieces. Evidence of this was found in the stack of mutilated bones that lay beside the pit and indicated that more than one victim had fallen already prey to the pit as there were at least three skulls found in the pile of bones.

 

Hotsuma so wasn’t looking forward to setting foot into this god damned house. He may battle Opasts and demons in his life but he had never been too fond of haunted houses. Not like Shusei whom seemed to adore this kind of attraction, dragging Hotsuma year after year behind the brunet on a gruesome trip through a manmade horror feast. Hotsuma had always blamed Shusei’s masochistic side for taking such great pleasure in seeing people getting the shit scared out of them.

 

“Shusei is somewhere in there,” Anath spoke up determined. The black-haired boy gazed up at the temporary building, his eyes reflecting the determination that had also lain in his voice.

 

‘Figures’, Hotsuma thought sourly. Even now the brunet just had to force him to enter a horror infested place. Why couldn’t his partner just have chosen a nice option like being tied up in the pink carriage on the merry go round? Sure it was pink but if Shusei had been in there he would have gladly climbed in there to get to his partner, pink color or not.

 

“Guess we have no choice then,” Tsukumo said, stepping forward and starting towards the entrance. They all followed him, bypassing the empty, small boot in which normally someone sat to collect the entrance fee. For a small, irrational moment Hotsuma felt inclined to actually grab his wallet and push a few bills over to the till until he remembered again that the person normally sitting there wasn’t just on some bathroom break for a few moments but wasn’t in the same realm as them. It made him wonder if all the people off this fair actually were somewhere in their own reality or if this was a new reality created within the reality in which the Opast was holding Shusei captive. A second reality in their existing reality or maybe even a third or …

 

Hotsuma shook his head. All this technical stuff wasn’t his field of expertise. It was Shusei’s, his partner always loving to overthink everything and finding answers for questions Hotsuma himself hadn’t even thought about. Thinking about stuff like this had never gotten him anything apart from a blasting headache. He was just the charge in kind of guy and ask questions later. Much, much later. It was an attitude that had gotten him already in many perilous situations and he couldn’t count the times anymore on two hands when either Takashiro or Shusei had told him to use his head before rushing forward. And he knew both of them were right – although his pride did prevent him from actually agreeing with Takashiro ever, only showing Shusei his remorseful side and offering the brunet a promise of trying next time to do better – but so far that knowledge had been useless. His brash attitude was as much a part of him as Shusei’s careful planning side was a part of his partner’s. Another reason he needed Shusei. To keep him from jumping off the cliff time after time before he actually knew how to land safely again after the jump. He and Shusei were opposites in most things, making many wonder how it could be that they fitted so well together, but they both knew the truth. It was cause they complemented each other perfectly. Where one failed, the other picked up the slack and this turned them into a force to reckon with. But this wasn’t the reason Hotsuma wanted Shusei back by his side.

 

The blond didn’t care about their strength when they fought together. That was just one of the perks of their bond and helped them to keep each other alive. No, he wanted Shusei back just for the sole reason of the brunet. For the way Shusei made him feel. Made him feel like he had always a home to return too. A home where he was loved, without constant lectures, attempts to change whom he was or where conditions were laid down to receive that love. Shusei just loved him for whom he was and would always love him just as he didn’t want the brunet to change ever – apart from Shusei’s bad eating habits that was – as Shusei was already his perfect counterpart and everything he could ever want and search for in a soul mate.

 

The wooden boards creaked under Hotsuma’s feet the second he stepped over the threshold into the manmade horror house. They groaned, seemingly protesting the abuse Hotsuma and the others subjected them too. But what made Hotsuma’s hair truly stand up on his arms was the immediate shrilling sound that barreled through the hallway towards them, past them and then seemed to escape through the open doorway behind the blond. It had sounded like someone dragging his nails over a chalk board, a sound that Hotsuma had always detested. He took another step forward, halting as a cracking sound beneath his foot sounded. Automatically Hotsuma looked downwards only to find his vision blocked by the darkness that reigned in the horror infested house. “Do you think these boards will be able to hold us?” he asked no one in particular.

 

“It’s probably just some sound effect, started up by some sensor one of us triggered,” Tsukumo replied, not at all sounding worried and making Hotsuma sourly realize the grey-haired boy was just as unaffected by the ghost house as his own partner always was. Hotsuma’s eyes slipped sideways, taking a glance at Anath. The black-haired boy looked also unaffected as if they weren’t standing in some ghost mansion which sole purpose was to give its guests heart attacks. Hotsuma huffed, his mood soured even more now. He pushed past Anath – bumping roughly against the boy’s shoulder in the process and earning him an ice cold glare that he ignored – and started forward, taking the lead and refusing to show how just being inside here alone already freaked him out enough to make him actually want to take the highway.

 

Hotsuma walked in silence forward. Behind him he heard the others follow. Toko and Tsukumo occasionally commented on one of the many ghost decorations they passed like a decapitated doll out of whose headless neck blood sprayed like a fountain the moment they were in its vicinity. There was also a doll that had worms crawling out of its eyes, nose and mouth and whose hand reached out for them in a begging gesture for help as they passed it.  Then there was the hand on the rock whose fingers started to move as they were near it … All in all Hotsuma slowly felt his nerves start to calm down as the ghost mansion wasn’t that bad. There was a very clear distinction between what was real and what wasn’t and it helped him to keep his skittish nerves in check instead of making a fool out of himself.

 

Shusei had once asked what it was that terrified Hotsuma so much about ghost mansions as the blond had no problem at all to just run into a demon infested battlefield where the danger actually was real. It had embarrassed him immensely to admit it, but seeing as it had been Shusei with him, Hotsuma had told the brunet about the very first time he and his family had gone to an amusement park and had entered a haunted mansion. He had been having the time of his life, running from left to right to admire all the puppets and fake, enormous spiders and his father and mother had been forced to call out on more than one occasion for him to slow down and stay in their sight. His parents had been holding his younger brother’s hand whom wasn’t moving at such a swift pace as him and whom wasn’t looking at all that pleased about being there even though it had been his younger brother whom had been the one begging to go and look around in the ghost mansion to begin with.

 

At a certain moment he had come at a pair of stairs above which hung a giant chandelier that was held up by a gorilla’s arm that stuck through a hole in the ceiling. From above the wooden ceiling sounded growls of the supposedly truly being there gorilla but he hadn’t believed for a single second that there truly was a gorilla inside the mansion. Not like some of the other kids whom had been there too and had started to cry and had made their parents decide to take the emergency exit outside. He however had bravely started the way downstairs to the cellar, only having paused for a second to glance over his shoulder to check whether his parents and younger brother were also nearly at the stairs. His father had waved at him that he had seen him and that he could continue forward as his parents knew where he was heading.

 

It had happened when he had been halfway the stairs. The gorilla arm had started to sway left, right, left, right and then all of a sudden the candles in the chandelier had gone out. They had been immersed in the pitch dark, the only light left an eerie green light at the base of the stairs, a glow that came out of the cellar.

 

Children had started to scream and cry and above it all had he heard his father calling out for him but when he had turned around to look for him, people on the stairs had started to move forward again and had pushed him further down the stairs and further away from his father’s voice. Deeper and deeper had he been dragged with and then suddenly had his father’s voice disappeared.

 

When Hotsuma had finally been able to escape the river of people in the cellar, he had run back to the stairs where he had pushed himself past the last, few remaining people on the wooden steps. The chandelier had gone back on in the meantime but when he had reached the top of the stairs, Hotsuma had found himself all alone. His mother and father hadn’t been there anymore and when he had called out for them, they hadn’t answered him.

 

In a blind panic had he started to run back to the entrance of the ghost mansion but he had taken some wrong turn somewhere and had found himself hopelessly lost in the ghost house. It had taken more than one hour before his father had finally found him in the structure and by then all kinds of thoughts had run through Hotsuma’s head. Him dying in the mansion and his bones becoming a part of the attraction to his parents having abandoned him on purpose and enjoying themselves with his younger brother on other attractions in the park whilst he was trapped in the haunted mansion. It was this last thought that had wrecked the most havoc on his nerves and why he hated ghost mansions. They always made him remember how he had felt back then. Lost, alone, abandoned and oh so small and insignificant. Feelings and a preview of what had become later reality …  

 

Shusei’s solution had been a simple one. Just as his parents had held his younger brother’s hand - and his father had done afterwards whilst guiding him outside and back into the sunlight where his mother and his younger brother had been waiting for him - Shusei’s first action was to reach out and take a firm hold on Hotsuma’s hand as soon as they stepped into a ghost house, refusing to let go of said hand again until they were standing back outside. It was such a simple gesture – and Hotsuma had to be honest, an embarrassing one – but it made a world of difference to Hotsuma. It had always made him feel safe. Now it was his turn to find Shusei, take the brunet’s hand and offer him that safety.

 

Hotsuma paused as he came face to face with wooden stairs that led a floor higher. He looked up into the pitch black hole. A growl sounded somewhere in that darkness as if a giant with a knout was hiding in it and was awaiting them so it could bash their heads to a pulp.

 

Hotsuma set his right foot on the first step and immediately all around them death bells sounded. A deep, hollow sound over and over again that made fear settle in the pit of Hotsuma’s stomach. He knew it was just another one of those silly sound effects from the mansion, but somehow he couldn’t help but feel as if this sound effect was a harbinger for him and him alone. As if he gained a glimpse of the future without truly understanding it.

 

“Hotsuma,” Tsukumo’s voice sounded behind him and snapped him back out of the sudden fear that had stilled him. “You okay?”

 

“Yeah, sorry” Hotsuma replied, taking the next step and the one after that, repeating in his own head ‘left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot …’ and making his way upstairs like this. He hadn’t yet put his foot on the floor’s boards or a horrible scream sounded and a greenish, transparent girl came flying towards him. There were only a few strands of hair left on her skull, her eyes were gaping holes and her nose had been eaten away. Her arms were stretched in front of her and her hands reached for her savior whom had just appeared on the top of the stairs.

 

Hotsuma took involuntarily a step backwards, only saved from a nasty tumble of the stairs as Tsukumo was right behind him. The grey-haired boy had picked up on the fear that had coiled itself around Hotsuma’s heart thanks to his Ears of God and it had enabled him to correctly predict Hotsuma’s reaction. The boy’s hands were a firm barrier against Hotsuma’s back and prevented the blond from actually taking that desired step backwards and creating a domino effect that would have dragged them all back to the ground floor.

 

The ghost girl flew through Hotsuma and dissipated into the wall behind them. Hotsuma’s wide open eyes stared at the spot where the ghost girl had just ago still been.   His heart did a mad dance in his chest, the organ doing such an erratic dance that the blond was convinced it was trying to escape his chest and make its way out of the house on its own whilst leaving its stubborn master behind.

 

“Shit,” Hotsuma mumbled. His right hand came to rest over his heart whilst he sunk downwards till he sat on the stairs. Tsukumo’s hand squeezed his shoulder. The gesture was at first nearly enough to make him jump again out of his skin but then became the weight comforting and something he could focus on to help him calm his racing nerves again.

 

“Can you go on, Hotsuma?” Tsukumo had crouched down on the stairs too and his eyes shone at eyelevel with Hotsuma’s. Hotsuma’s eyes travelled for a moment to Tsukumo’s reassuring hand that still lay on his shoulder and then back to the worry filled eyes that gazed at him. There was nothing he’d rather say than ‘no’, but as he opened his mouth he heard himself answer affirmatively to the younger boy’s question. Yes, he could. For Shusei, he could.

 

Tsukumo nodded, worry still edged on his face. The grey-haired boy looked away from Hotsuma, his eyes straining into the darkness that was awaiting them and then they came back to rest on Hotsuma’s face. “Why don’t you let me go first,” he suggested.

 

Despite his fear, Hotsuma’s pride rose its ugly head and made the blond want to argue with Tsukumo, making him want to tell the other he was fine, he had just been taken by surprise but that it wouldn’t happen again, but another part of him - his reasonable part, his Shusei infested part - made him realize that perhaps Tsukumo had a point and that perhaps it would be in all of their best interest if he let the other take point. It wouldn’t do Shusei or any of them any good if they all arrived on crutches at the place where Harada was keeping the brunet. The battle would already be hard enough without them bestowing advantages on Harada.

 

Hotsuma nodded his agreement and Tsukumo rose back to his full height after which the boy carefully bypassed Hotsuma and stepped into the hallway.

 

New screams rose up but this time they weren’t accompanied by ghostly figures. It were only the terrible, pain filled cries of what sounded like the damned.

 

“Tsukumo?” Toko’s questioning voice sounded from below Hotsuma where the girl was still standing on the steps.

 

“It’s a tape,” Tsukumo answered the unspoken question of his sister. “I don’t feel any presences.” As if the hallway had been awaiting the grey-haired boy’s words, the sounds died down and candles all along the hallway lit up.

 

Hotsuma gasped and leapt back to his feet so he could make sure that what he was seeing wasn’t just a trick of the eye. “The hallway …” he choked out.

 

Tsukumo nodded grimly. “Yes, it is longer than it should be. We’ve entered Harada’s domain. I already assumed so when that ghost came flying towards you. In no normal haunted house would they have ever implemented such a dangerous scare.”

 

“That was a real ghost?” Anath’s voice rose up from somewhere at the bottom of the stairs.

 

Tsukumo stared downwards, an unreadable emotion in his eyes. His eyes then lifted and came to gaze at the spot on the wall where the girl had spat into pieces. “I fear so. A victim.”

 

Toko looked at her feet.   “Of Harada,” she whispered softly more to herself than the others but they still picked up on her words and it made all of them gaze uneasily for a few moments at some spot in the mansion and away from each other. They were all feeling guilt and regret for what had happened to the teenaged girl and them having been unable to save her life. Yes, they knew that they couldn’t save everyone. Takashiro himself had drilled that in them over and over again. Told them time after time that every war demanded casualties. That in every war innocents died and that there was nothing that they could do about that cause they couldn’t be everywhere at once and couldn’t foresee everything. That when it came down to it, all they could do was do their best and save those whom they could and ask forgiveness for those whom slipped through their fingers. And they all knew that that was the truth yet it didn’t make it any easier to accept it. Especially not when the casualties were still young and should have still had years in front of them.

 

“Do you think we’ll ever be able to truly end this war?” Toko asked, her question directed mostly at Hotsuma and Tsukumo as Anath was still a new Zweilt and hadn’t yet undergone centuries of fighting duras.

 

“Shusei seems to believe so,” Hotsuma replied.

 

Toko regarded him - an unreadable emotion in her eyes – and then nodded. She remembered the brunet having told her too on their school trip. And how he had encouraged her on to also defy fate and believe in what felt to her to be the impossible. But still, still she just found herself unable to share Shusei’s faith. True Shusei had gone all out in defying fate; he had denied the Giou’s house request to date Toko and had chosen Hotsuma instead and Takashiro had allowed it, but did this truly mean that there wouldn’t be a need any more for more Zweilts? That the Giou house was okay with the Zweilt lineage ending with them? No, she corrected herself. There was Anath. Anath Sagara. Sure he had popped up out of the woodwork unannounced and didn’t even belong to one of the ten houses, but he was still most probably a definite sign of hope for the Giou house. A sign that the Zweilts’ population would increase again. Was that perhaps why they had so easily allowed Shusei to tie his life to Hotsuma’s and throw away their hopes of still being able to produce Zweilt manifestation babies? Had they known about the existence of Zweilts outside the ten houses? And what did this mean then? Were things shifting and changing? Was their well-known structure falling apart? The lineage of the ten houses crumbling to pieces?

 

Toko threw a careful, concealed glance at Anath. Whom was he really? And why had he been born outside the ten houses? As if sensing his sister’s thoughts, Tsukumo said: “Things do seem to be different from before. There are more and more consistencies that seem to be falling away.   Yuki being a male. Yuki’s early meeting with Reiga. Reiga’s late awakening. Yuki being allowed to be at our sides during battles which means he is putting himself at risk too. Yuki’s changed character. A Zweilt being born outside the ten houses.” Tsukumo’s eyes came to rest for a few seconds on Anath before his attention shifted again to his sister and Hotsuma. “Shusei seems to believe that all this is leading up to one big finale and I can’t help but wonder if he perhaps ain’t right.” Tsukumo looked away, speaking the next words more to himself as if to convince himself yet still loud enough for the others to hear. “There just seem to be too many coincidences to not believe that finally our story is being re-written.”

 

Hotsuma huffed. “I don’t care about fate or destiny. We make our own choices. Choose our own path. No one is going to tell me which way to go. I live my life the way I want to and if anyone up there has a problem with that, he can just be damned.”

 

“You don’t believe in predestined paths, Hotsuma?” Toko asked surprised. Hotsuma’s words made her regard the blond with new eyes. For all they had gone through - the lives they had lived that held each time the same suffering, hardship and pain just always in some altered, different form - she would have guessed all of them to believe in the Zweilts’ loss of free choice what so ever.

 

Hotsuma regarded Toko with a firm belief burning in his golden eyes. “Like I’m going to listen to anyone. No one owns me.”

 

A smile came to play around Tsukumo’s mouth. “Only Shusei,” he teased.

 

Hotsuma blushed. “That’s different. Shusei always says sensible things.”

 

“Oh? And I don’t?” Toko looked undignified up at Hotsuma, her hands in her sides.

 

“You’re a girl,” Hotsuma shot back. “That’s different.”

 

“Well, I guess we know now then why Shusei decided to be male this time around. You’re such a boor, Hotsuma. How Shusei ever put up with you is any one’s guess,” Toko huffed.

 

“That’s not the …” Hotsuma started to counter but Anath’s surprised shout interrupted him.

 

“Shusei was a girl in a previous life?!” The black-haired boy was looking with wide open, shocked eyes at them. It stirred something inside Hotsuma. Made him feel superior to Anath as for all the black-haired boy had been claiming that Shusei was his and that he and Shusei were meant to be, this just proved how much a new-born Anath was to all this and how little the new Zweilt truly knew about Shusei.

 

Hotsuma’s chest puffed out. “And a gorgeous girl he was,” he started to brag, a fond smile appearing on his face as he recalled those times with Shusei. “Beautiful, feminine, sweet, love-able … Ever since Tachibana has found out that Shusei was previously a girl, he’s been trying to get Shusei in a dress.”

 

“Who is Tachibana?” Anath asked confused, ignoring Toko’s mumbles about how Tachibana’s sacrificing of pretty dresses to Shusei’s anger was a shame.

 

A pleased smile appeared on Hotsuma’s face as he regarded Anath. Another point he had scored against the other. Another clear sign of how Anath wasn’t a part of their lives and was just a freak of nature that shouldn’t exist. “Our curator at the Twilight Mansion.”

 

“Twilight Mansion,” Anath repeated questioningly.

 

“It is a large mansion where we all live together,” Toko helpfully explained.

 

“Some of us have always lived there,” Tsukumo added. “As soon as we are of age, we leave the family we are born into and go and live in one of the Giou family houses. The Twilight Mansion is just one of them.”

 

Anath thought about Shusei’s bad past with his family. Had his lover suffered through the same thing there? “Doesn’t your family miss you then?”

 

Hotsuma barked out a mocking laugh as he looked away. A certain darkness crept over his features as he answered Anath’s question. “They can’t wait till the day they can get rid of us and cash in their reward.”

 

Anath’s eyes darted to Tsukumo and Toko, searching for a sign that the blond was pulling his leg, but the grief expression on both siblings’ faces told him enough. So even where they came from, Shusei hadn’t been allowed a happier life. “Are we ever welcome in our families?” he asked, his tone of voice still holding a hint of hope that it wasn’t always this way.

 

Tsukumo and Toko looked away and Hotsuma seemed to turn into himself. Finally it was Toko whom answered Anath’s question. “Zweilt guardians aren’t allowed happiness. Our lives are short, painful and lonely.” She gazed saddened in Tsukumo’s direction as she said the last word. Her sorrowful eyes were met by Tsukumo’s golden orbs, a similar sadness in them and an understanding and regret Anath didn’t get. What was it the siblings shared that he didn’t know about?

 

“We are soldiers,” Hotsuma continued. “That is all we are. We have no right to a normal life. No right to the same gifts bestowed on normal people. Our lives are lived in the shadow of the darkness. We are not human or demon. We don’t belong anywhere. We are something in between where no word exists for. People fear what they can’t name, define and keep under control. Even if said monster was born out of their own womb and carries their DNA.”

 

“Hotsuma,” Toko whispered, her attention now drawn away from her brother and to the blond as the Voice of God touched upon his own painful past with his parents. They all knew what had transpired in the blond’s household – it was a similar experience for all of them, even if it was in some other form of parental abuse and betrayal – but he had never been willing to talk to anyone about it apart from Shusei. _‘Shusei,’_ her mind voice whispered as she saw Hotsuma standing there and saw the loneliness and feelings of abandonment rolling off the blond. _‘Hotsuma can’t do this without you. Please come back to us. Please don’t let him down.’_ Cause if Shusei did let Hotsuma down, Toko was convinced Hotsuma wouldn’t survive.

 

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

Toko shrieked as something sticky and constricting suddenly caressed her cheek. Whatever it was, it was everywhere around her. On her head, in her hair, her ears, her neck, her shoulders, in her face …

 

“It’s okay, Toko-chan.” Tsukumo’s warm hand enclosed itself around one of his sister’s hands and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “It are just rags of cobwebs, put up in the form of a curtain.”

 

Toko released an embarrassed, relieved laugh. “Sorry. Guess my nerves are a bit more tattered than I thought.”

 

Tsukumo smiled reassuringly back at her.   “That’s okay. We’re all on edge.” His golden eyes travelled back to the expanse of the hallway and he gazed into the obscure distance in front of them. “Who knows what he still has in store for us.” So far their trip had been rather uneventful. They hadn’t encountered a single spooky thing anymore since the girl’s ghost. Only miles and miles of a candlelit hallway. Miles and miles that didn’t seem to lead to anywhere. And the end still wasn’t in sight. In front of them stretched the hallway on, its ending or a bend in the hallway unseen as far as the eye could reach.

 

“He is toying with us,” Hotsuma spoke up, stepping forward and coming to stand beside Tsukumo. The blond also gazed into the far distance.

 

“That or he is buying himself time,” Anath’s voice floated over from where the black-haired boy was standing behind the Murasame siblings.

 

“For what?” Hotsuma asked in a gruff tone of voice. He looked over his shoulder at Anath. The black-haired boy shrugged.

 

“Maybe he is setting up a trap for us or maybe …” Anath trailed off, the boy clearly not willing to continue but doing so after all, his tone of voice holding now a grave tone. “Maybe he isn’t yet done with Shusei.”

 

Hotsuma’s eyes widened and his head whirled around, back to the untraveled part of the hallway. Memories of that time with Ashley flooded his mind again. Shusei hanging from that bloody cross. The brunet’s clothes ripped. Blood caked to the porcelain skin of his partner. Shusei’s closed eyes. Yuki’s words. Shusei having stopped his own heart … Without giving it a second thought, Hotsuma took off. He ran forward, not caring about Tsukumo’s sudden horrified shout about an energy spike, a sudden appeared, possible danger. Thundering footsteps sounded behind him but he ignored them, even though part of him knew his sprint would be cut short any second now. Once again Tsukumo would catch up to him and stop him. Hold him back. But suddenly a strong gust of wind blew from up ahead in the hallway. It barreled past him and took out all the candle flames, basking the hallway in a sudden pitch blackness.

 

Hotsuma’s run stopped, the blond shocked into a halt. All sounds around him had disappeared. He called out to his companions but not a single answer was forthcoming. He was all alone till all of a sudden a sound approached him from behind. The wind was coming back. But this time it didn’t pass him. It stayed whirling around him. Touching his hair, clothes, skin … It was frisking him for something yet Hotsuma had no clue what the wind could want from him and then suddenly the wind laid down and in front of Hotsuma appeared a grey looking playground.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes scanned his surroundings. Behind him was it still pitch black, but in front of him was light. Light that had revealed a playground that was boxed in on both sides by two separate school buildings. Up ahead was a narrow space where a smaller grey brick building stood, a dark alley left open on its left side. Where the alley led to was not visible as the shadows of the school buildings swallowed up its destination.

 

Hotsuma threw another look behind him and discovered that another school building had popped up right behind him out of nowhere and had cut off a possible retreat. The only possibility left to get off the playground was the alley. Hotsuma didn’t like it. He didn’t like that he was forced to take the alley but with no other choice left – unless he wanted to sprout root here – he would just have to chance it.

 

Hotsuma took a step forward, feeling himself cross some sort of invisible barrier as his right foot came down on the grey tiles of the playground. In front of him black flames started to appear out of the ground. They rose up and took the form of people wrapped up in shadows.

 

Hotsuma halted, staring confused at the shadowy figures that were populating now the previously empty recreation-ground. ‘Where the heck am I?’ he wondered silently. ‘And where are the others? Are they in a similar place? Or am I the only one whom got taken somewhere else?’ In any case it was clear to the blond that the others weren’t here with him and that he wouldn’t be reunited with them again if he just stood standing here. It was up to him to find a way out of this place and to find the others again. Hopefully they’d be waiting for him at the place where the alley up ahead led to.

 

Hotsuma started carefully forward again, alert on any sudden movement from the shadowy figures but they remained docile, seemingly unaware of Hotsuma’s presence. The only reaction Hotsuma drew out of the black figures as he passed them were sentences yet the words they brought forth were more hurtful to Hotsuma than any physical attack could be. The figures’ words drew him back to his own painful past and it made him want to run across the playground towards the alley. Duck into that dark and narrow alley and escape this ordeal, but a strange force prevented him to heighten his pace. He felt like he was wading through a thick syrup and just moving forward at a walking pace was already a heavy task he laid upon his muscles. Outside his own will he was forced to slowly move forward and walk past all the shadows on the playground and to listen to what those figures had to say as he passed them. Some whispered, others yelled but their words all rang crystal clear in Hotsuma’s head.

 

_“Did you hear? He burned them.”_

_“He is a freak.”_

_“Stay away from him or he’ll get you next!”_

_“I heard he tried to kill his brother too.”_

_“Stay away from me, murderer!”_

_“I always knew he was not normal.”_

_“Why are they still letting him come to school?”_

_“He should be punished! Locked up and the key thrown away!”_

_“I said so, didn’t I? He seriously has a problem.”_

_“He is a monster! How can they call it the Voice of God?! He is nothing but a monster!”_

Hotsuma’s progress faltered as he recognized his mother’s voice. His classmates and former friends’ voices had already been hard enough, but to hear his own mother calling him a monster again shook him to the core. For such a long time had he believed that she had loved him truly, despite his Zweilt talent, but then she had gone and ruin that lie and had she thrown the ugly truth into his face. In the end no one had wanted him. Only Shusei hadn’t been afraid to touch him still or to be around him.

 

Hotsuma’s hands fisted. He had been so convinced that he had let that all behind him, but all it took was to hear his mother again and he was back that young boy whom was eaves dropping at the door and felt like he had no longer a place in the world.

 

“Shusei,” Hotsuma muttered in a soft, broken, pain filled tone of voice. But this time around the brunet wasn’t there. This time around he couldn’t run over to Shusei’s house in the rain and find comfort in his friend’s arms. This time around he couldn’t call Shusei and find peace again at the sight of the love that shone in Shusei’s eyes.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes closed, his head lowering and his shoulders slumping in defeat. He didn’t know anymore how to go on. Just lifting his foot and taking a step forward seemed too hard of a task for him to do. And as he stood there, his mother’s voice went on and on, repeating endlessly those hurtful words, over and over again. Monster, he was nothing but a monster. He had tried so hard, done so much his best to earn and deserve his parent’s love and it had all been worthless! Anger rose up in him and he grabbed hold of that anger, some part in him telling him this would be his only way out before he’d be consumed forever in this place.

 

Hotsuma took hold off his hate for his parents. Remembered their harsh words, their spun lies, their way of only seeing him as a cash cow and it roared all inside him. It demanded justification, revenge. And finally, finally he was able to unleash all that pent up rage without truly hurting his parents cause no matter how mad he was at them, in him also still lived that small boy that hungered for his parent’s appraisal, love and respect which had been the cause for him to hold his rage in check until now as to keep his parents safe. But this woman, this shadowy figure, was only a mockery of his mother. Burning this mockery wouldn’t truly hurt his mother …

 

“Master stroke!” Hotsuma called out. His sword appeared in his outstretched hand and with all the rage he had kept bottled up inside himself, Hotsuma unleashed a fierce attack on the shadow of his mother.

 

The flames shot towards the shadowy figure, engulfed it completely and burned it to crisps as it wailed and screamed. But Hotsuma’s pain wasn’t appeased and he turned to the rest of the shadowy figures on the playground. He unleashed attack upon attack on them and destroyed them all. In the end all he could still hear was his own laborite breathing. For the rest it was back eerily quiet, but Hotsuma preferred this silence to the hurtful sentences that had slammed him around the ears.

 

He rose back to his full height and threw his head into his neck. “It won’t work, you hear, you bastard! I won’t let you keep me from reaching Shusei! He is mine! Not yours!”

 

The wind picked up again around him and swept away all the ashes that lay on the grey tiles of the recreation-ground but Hotsuma didn’t pay it any attention. He moved back forward towards the narrow gap between the two school buildings. Having reached it, he hesitated only for a second before he stepped unafraid forward into the darkness. He was ready for whatever new trick the Opast would throw at him.

\--------------------------------------------------

TBC

 


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23:

Horrible screams assaulted Hotsuma’s ears as soon as he stepped out off the narrow gap. His hands automatically came up to cover his ears, trying to shut out the screams, but finding the act useless. The screams set his teeth on edge. Hopelessly Hotsuma’s eyes scanned his new surroundings, but only pitch black darkness greeted him. Suddenly a hand enclosed itself around his wrist. Hotsuma pulled brusquely free, taking a step backwards in the process, and prepared to send a flying fist in the direction of whom or whatever was connected to said hand. The owner of the hand however obviously knew him pretty well as the released hold got immediately followed up by a soothing explanation that got exclaimed in a loud enough tone of voice to be heard above the cries that haunted the room.

 

“Tsukumo, Hotsuma! It is me, Tsukumo! Toko and Anath are here as well!”

 

Hotsuma released the breath he had unconsciously been holding as the grey-haired boy’s voice reached his ears. “Are you guys, okay?” he asked, his eyes looking in the direction where he guessed the others were without really being able to make any contours out.

 

“We are fine,” Toko answered him, her voice coming a bit more from the right than where Hotsuma had believed her to be standing. “But what about you? You are the one whom suddenly disappeared.”

 

“Where did you go?” Tsukumo added in question.

 

“You guys weren’t transported to some other place?” Hotsuma asked incredulously.

 

“No,” Tsukumo replied. “All that happened was the light going out for a second and when the candles lit again, you were gone. A door had appeared where you had just been and when we stepped through it, we landed here, but you weren’t here till just a second ago.”

 

Hotsuma raked a hand through his hair, not sure what to make of all of this. He was sure that if Shusei had been here, his partner would have had some brilliant explanation that would have made sense, but for now all they had were themselves. Hotsuma’s eyebrows furrowed, the blond trying to come up with an explanation that could have been voiced by Shusei.

 

 _‘Just remain calm, Hotsuma, and think. You are smarter than you give yourself credit for. Just believe in yourself.’_ Shusei’s voice rang clear through Hotsuma’s mind and this calmed the blond. It helped him to relax and put one and one together. To him it felt as if Shusei was leading him by the hand and bringing him from one point to the next to allow him to make the right connection between all that was going on. “He’s trying to break me,” Hotsuma voiced out loud. “First the haunted house and just now he confronted me with things from my past, hoping I’d lose it again.”

 

Silence greeted Hotsuma’s words, the siblings unsure what to answer and Hotsuma was certain that Anath didn’t give a damn about whether Hotsuma would still be with them at the end of the ride or not just as long as the bastard could get his claws in Shusei again. ‘ _As if’_ … Hotsuma thought grimly. He had abandoned Shusei already one time and he wasn’t about to do it a second time.

 

“He is wasting his breath,” Hotsuma continued out loud. A fierce determination that didn’t allow any mockery coloring his tone of voice. “Shusei told me after Ashley that he wouldn’t let go of life that easily again and the same applies to me. That bastard can try all he wants but I won’t break my word to Shusei. Never again.”

 

Another tense silence filled the room when suddenly this registered to Toko. “Listen,” she spoke up.

 

“What is it Toko-chan?” Tsukumo asked. “What do you hear? I don’t hear anything.” The younger Murasame was confused. Normally he was the one whom picked up on sounds more easily than his older sister due to his Ear of God’s talent being more developed.

 

“That’s just it,” Toko answered her brother. “The cries … they are gone.”

 

“You’re right,” Anath replied after a moment during which the three boys had let the silence truly register to them too. The black-haired boy’s answer made Hotsuma sourly notice that indeed the other boy was still with them and hadn’t - sadly enough - been devoured by some horror in the haunted mansion.

 

“I think the voices laid down when Hotsuma started to talk,” Toko continued. There was an edge of uncertainty in her tone of voice but it still held a firm enough belief to make the others consider her words.

 

“You are right,” Tsukumo agreed. “I hadn’t noticed it, but otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to understand Hotsuma that easily.”

 

“Do you think it is linked to his God’s talent,” Toko wondered.

 

“Maybe …” Tsukumo mussed. Hotsuma couldn’t see the Murasame siblings but he could feel their pondering eyes on him and it made him fidget.

 

“Where are we anyway?” he asked to change the subject at hand and to deter the attention away from him. Who cared why the screams had suddenly quieted down. Wasn’t it enough that they had just stopped? He knew he was thankful enough for it and he wasn’t about to try his luck by trying to figure out what had just happened and possibly fuck it up and have those horrible sounds fill the room again. Gone was gone. It was that simple. “Have you guys found an exit out of here already?” Hotsuma didn’t know how long he had been gone from the others or how long the others had been in this room already, but he was sure that no matter how long the timeframe was, Tsukumo and Toko wouldn’t have just idly been twiddling their thumbs.

 

“We haven’t ventured far in the room yet,” Tsukumo told Hotsuma. “Those cries, there was something off with them.”

 

“As if they were coming from beneath us,” Toko continued.

 

“I don’t think this whole room has a solid floor, but without light I can’t tell for sure,” Tsukumo took over from his sister again.

 

“Too bad Renjou’s power sucks.” Anath’s voice drifted viciously over to Hotsuma and made the blond immediately feel like punching the other boy’s lights out.

 

“There is nothing wrong with my power,” Hotsuma replied through gritted teeth. Yes, he had always believed his power to suck too, but all that had changed when Shusei had showed him the other side of his talent of God’s voice. His partner had made him reconcile with his God’s voice and had made him finally embrace his talent as a part of himself.

 

“I’m sorry. You’re right,” came Anath’s reply. The words were uttered casually but it didn’t escape the others’ attention that there was also an underlying promise of another sneer at Hotsuma’s address. They didn’t have to wait long for it. “It ain’t God’s voice that sucks but the one wielding it. Any other would have been able to extract full control over God’s voice by now, but you’re still muddling on. How many lifetimes has it been now that you claim to have been Shusei’s partner and the wielder of God’s Voice? One would expect you to be able to fully control your talent by now.”

 

“How about I use you as a flaming torch?!” Hotsuma shot back right away. Tension packed the air heavily.

 

“No, thanks.” The cruel smile on Anath’s face that was invisible was heard in the boy’s tone of voice. “I wouldn’t want you to miss and accidentally hit one of the Murasames instead.”

 

“Why, you bastard!” Hotsuma lunged for the where he suspected Anath to be in the darkness. His body however collided with something compliant yet solid. He immediately guessed right that Tsukumo was holding him back, the boy’s more thin frame shaking under the heavy strain the boy was putting upon his own muscles to hold Hotsuma’s more muscular form back.

 

“Hotsuma, don’t! We don’t know how the room’s built! Who knows what you’ll walk into!”

 

Tsukumo’s words made perfect sense, but Hotsuma was so fired up that he found himself uncaring. “I’ll chance it!” he roared back, tightening his own muscles to get past the grey-haired boy whose feet made a sliding sound as Tsukumo was slowly losing his grip on his spot under the violence of the blond’s strength.

 

“What about your promise to Shusei?!” Tsukumo didn’t give up on trying to reason Hotsuma back to calmness. “Do you really want me to tell him you are no longer amongst us cause you couldn’t control yourself?! That you felt your sense of pride was more important than him?!”

 

It was just as before. Just as when Tsukumo had held him back after Shusei had disappeared into the clutches of Ashley. Once again the grey-haired boy knew just which buttons to push. Knew just which words to use to knock the breath back out of him and make him feel empty and stupid and useless. Hotsuma could feel his whole body going limp and if it hadn’t been for Tsukumo’s arms wrapped firmly around him – an act the other had done in an effort to keep him from pummeling Anath to a pulp, no wait, Tsukumo hadn’t voiced a single word about him not being allowed to punch Anath into next year like before but had just voiced concerns about his safety considering the unknown room they were in – he would have sagged to the floor like a ragless doll whose strings were cut.

 

Hotsuma took a few, calming breaths. Tsukumo kept his hold on him, even if it wasn’t as firm and desperate anymore as before. Finally the grey-haired boy stepped away from him, doing it in a slow process so he could support Hotsuma again should it be needed and should the boy have accessed the situation wrongly. But Hotsuma felt himself able to stand back on his own two feet, the inner turmoil laid back down to sleep.

 

A sound filled the room as if large switches got flipped over along the walls. The sound started farthest away from them and moved upwards towards them. It bypassed them and disappeared as suddenly as it had started as it reached the end of the room behind them. Light followed the sound and soon the four Zweilts found themselves standing in a room that basked in red light. With the light also came heat and the horrible cries that started up again.

 

The four looked around, finding themselves standing in a room that indeed held a giant pit in the center of the room. A still in darkness covered bridge spanned over the gape in the floor and offered a way towards the other side of the room where a new door awaited them. The red light that filled the room hailed from the hole in the room. The light reached up from somewhere in the large pit but as Hotsuma carefully stepped up to the edge of the platform they were on, he found himself staring into a dark, bottomless pit. The light didn’t illuminate anything in the hole itself and didn’t offer him any clue about what down there could be making those horrible cries. His eyes travelled to the bridge’s expanse and he stepped towards it. Just as he wanted to place his right foot on the bridge, Toko clung to him and halted him.

 

“What if it’s a trap? What if the bridge won’t hold us?” she voiced.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes travelled from Toko’s uncertain and worried eyes to the bridge before him. He couldn’t make out in what material the bridge was built nor how sturdy it appeared to be or how thick it was. All he could make out was the width of the bridge which was width enough to walk comfortable over it without having to worry about setting a foot beside its surface.

 

Hotsuma directed his eyes from the bridge to the door up ahead and then scanned the route towards the door again. “We don’t have a choice,” he voiced finally. “We’ll have to chance it.”

 

Behind him he could sense Toko taking a step away from him and letting him go. He could imagine the girl biting her bottom lip, Toko knowing just as well as him that they truly didn’t have any other choice. The only way over the gape in the room was the bridge yet this didn’t mean the female Zweilt had to like it.

 

“I’ll cross first,” Hotsuma voiced, his eyes trained on the door up ahead. “Wait till I’m across and we know the bridge is safe.”

 

“Be careful,” Tsukumo answered in agreement, making Hotsuma nod to let the other know he had heard him and that he would take the advice to heart.

 

Hotsuma took a careful step forward, only placing his right foot on the bridge and not yet transferring all his weight to this foot. Slowly he brought more of his weight to his right foot, watchful of every little tell-tale-sign that would betray to him that using the bridge wasn’t such a good idea after all. The bridge however held. It didn’t make a single protesting sound nor did it release a shudder due to the sudden weight it had to sustain. The bridge remained firm and sturdy.

 

Hotsuma also brought his left foot onto the bridge. Part of him still expected the bridge to collapse after all, the blasted thing just having awaited its chance and having lured its prey into a false sense of security, but nothing happened. Well, maybe this wasn’t exactly true as the cries beneath the bridge seemed to become more deafening or maybe this was just cause he was standing now above them, Hotsuma wasn’t too sure, but he did know that it was highly uncomfortable.

 

Trying to block the anguished screams out, Hotsuma slowly started to make his way across. The material underneath his feet felt strange and it made the blond wonder from what exactly the bridge was made. The material felt strong as rock yet it didn’t have the rough surface stone held. The surface was smooth as if it were polished yet here and there were gaps. Sometimes two small gaps at a regular interval away from each other and at other times the gap was a large line into the surface. At other points the material stuck up in a strange, rounded off form. Hotsuma just couldn’t make sense out of it, but was glad that whatever it was, that it was holding him. Beneath him the cries rose and lowered as if beneath him lay a sea of cries subjected to a tide. The wave of cries seemed to follow him, the cries always the loudest just beneath where he was standing.

 

Finally he reached the other side and relieved Hotsuma jumped onto the platform in front of the door. He turned around and looked across the pit to where the others were still standing. “I’m across,” he reported unnecessarily. “The next one can come, but be careful where you place your feet! There are small holes in the bridge here and there altered with some weird kind of small, sticking up rock formation!”

 

Hotsuma watched as Tsukumo was the next one to face the bridge. The grey-haired boy took Hotsuma’s warning to heart. He made his way across the bridge slow and carefully, feeling each time with his foot whether the spot where he wanted to place his next step was free of holes or one of those sticking up, unidentified formations. When Tsukumo was nearly at the platform Hotsuma was standing on, Hotsuma reached out for the grey-haired boy’s hand and pulled him onto the platform with him. Even though he himself had just crossed the bridge without a single hitch, Hotsuma still had an uneasy feeling about the bridge in the pit of his stomach and was content to have Tsukumo off it.

 

Toko ventured on the bridge now. Tsukumo walked to the edge of the platform where it connected with the bridge and started to direct his sister’s steps. The grey-haired boy seemed to have studied the bridge as he had crossed it and had memorized all the gaps and sticking up formations that hindered a fluent crossing off the bridge.

 

Toko was halfway the bridge when suddenly the light intensified and they all had to shield their eyes against the blinding light. Through the darkness behind his eyes Hotsuma heard Tsukumo shout for Toko to remain where she was. The red edges around the darkness behind his closed eyelids disappeared again and carefully Hotsuma opened one eye, hoping that he was assuming right that the light intensity had dulled down again. His eyes shot wide open. The red light illuminated now also the pit in the room and the bridge.

 

In the pit were large flames crackling and eating away at a sea of beheaded, children skeletons. All of the beheaded skeletons were reaching desperately upwards with their arms and hands towards the bridge that floated just out of reach above them. The bridge across the pit had been formed by the missing, children skulls and the cries they were hearing came from as well the skulls as the skeletons. Both skeleton parts were crying in anguish to their missing skeleton part, wanting to be reunited with it.

 

Toko’s eyes widened in shock and horror as her eyes landed on the small skulls she was standing on. The skulls that were supporting her feet were crying more anguished than the other skulls and beneath the bridge were two beheaded skeletons that were mowing more feverishly for the bridge whilst releasing louder cries than the others. Toko’s feet on the skulls told those two parts exactly where their missing skulls were and where they had to look for them in the skull formation above them.

 

Toko’s eyes landed on the two small, madly moving skeletons beneath the bridge. Shocked and horrified she took a step backwards. Her foot came to hover above empty air and Toko’s eyes widened in shock and realization. The headless skeletons got propelled upwards beneath Toko’s dangling foot and small, children hands clutched hungrily around Toko’s ankle and foot. Then the upward thrust disappeared beneath the skeletons again. They fell back down into the sea of the dead, dragging Toko with in the process and making the girl fall backwards off the bridge after them.

 

Toko’s head lifted and turned. Her eyes found Tsukumo’s wide open in fear and anguish ones, the grey-haired boy already rushing over the bridge towards her in the idle hope to make it in time and pull her back onto the bridge. His arm was outstretched towards her, reaching for her right hand that had come upwards on its own accord as she was tumbling backwards. He made a mad grab for her hand, but missed and the last thing she saw - before she was devoured by the countless skeletons - was her brother sitting on his knees on the bridge, his hands gripping the edge of the bridge forcefully as he bellowed in anguish her name. A cry that reached her ears and made her heart thump painfully before the skeletons’ cries drowned out her brother’s voice and overwhelmed her senses completely. Down here the screams were even fiercer than they had been above and slowly Toko felt her body shutting down. Her soul screamed out for the oblivion of unconsciousness that would transport her away from this torture that assaulted her ears and filled every fiber off her being. The cries seemed to seep inside of her through her ears and were overtaking her completely.

 

Pain flashed in small sparkles before her eyes, the sharpness slowly dimming as the darkness became more overpowering and started to sweep her away. And as she let loose and let herself go, her last thoughts went out to her brother. Detachedly she felt herself thinking how she was grateful it was her that had fallen into this sea of screams. If this was already so unbearable for her, then how would it have been for Tsukumo to have been buried alive underneath these screams with his more developed Ears of God talent? It would have been ear and soul shattering for her younger brother.

 

Above Toko’s head - but unable to reach the girl’s dulled senses anymore - a rumbling sound started. Hotsuma’s eyes got torn away from the spot in the skeleton sea where Toko had just disappeared under. His eyes flew madly around the room, trying to pin-point where the sound was coming from when suddenly the rumbling got accompanied by a shaking underneath his feet. Widened, golden eyes focused on the bridge he and Tsukumo were on. Subtle crack lines were appearing between the skulls. Whatever that had been holding the skulls firmly together was dissolving and turned the bridge into a death trap.

 

“Tsukumo!” Hotsuma bellowed in fear, grabbing madly the grey-haired boy’s shoulder and shaking him forcefully to make the boy snap back out of his stupider.

 

Tsukumo’s head bobbed up and down lifelessly, glazed eyes still fixated on the sea of skeletons beneath the bridge that was roaring hopefully and triumphantically.

 

Hotsuma hauled Tsukumo to his feet and turned him towards him. He grabbed the front of the boy’s shirt firmly with one hand and slapped the grey-haired boy’s cheek hard with his other. “Snap out of it, bastard!” Hotsuma roared between gritted teeth.

 

Tsukumo’s head flew to the right due to the force of the blow but it had the desired effect as sparks of recognition appeared in the boy’s eyes. Tsukumo’s head slowly turned back towards Hotsuma, the boy trying to make sense out of what had just happened. Hotsuma however didn’t allow him the time. He grabbed Tsukumo’s left hand and started to drag the grey-haired boy across the bridge behind him towards the safety of the platform that they had just vacated when Toko had fallen off the bridge.

 

“The bridge is collapsing!” Hotsuma called over his shoulder.

 

Tsukumo’s eyes widened as he heard the blond’s words. His eyes travelled downwards and he noticed the now larger cracks between the skulls. He stumbled after Hotsuma, unable to find a good balance with the blond pulling him forward so forcefully and then it happened. The skulls beneath Tsukumo’s feet suddenly fell and the boy went downward with them. His body got pulled forward by Hotsuma’s grip on his hand but before he could slam into the still packed together skulls of the bridge or the blond could turn and pull him back onto the bridge, headless skeletons burst upward again right where Tsukumo and Hotsuma’s hands were connected. The connection of their hands got lost due to the upward wave of skeletons slamming through it and as Tsukumo tumbled downward into the sea after his sister, he could see Hotsuma’s horrified eyes glancing over the blond’s shoulder at him.

 

Tsukumo disappeared into the sea of skeletons, Hotsuma’s torn scream following him after.

 

“TSUKUMO!!!!!!!!”

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

Hotsuma sat on his knees on the platform. His chest was heaving from emotions as he stared into the pit that had gone quiet now. There was nothing left there now. All that stared back up at him was a pitch dark, cold blackness. The flames were gone just as the headless skeletons and the skulls. As soon as the beheaded skeletons had started to attach their missing skulls back to their neck, a whirlpool had appeared in between them. The whirlpool had pulled all the skeletons downwards to its black center where the skeletons had disappeared into, Tsukumo and Toko pulled with them. It had been as if someone had suddenly pulled the plug out of the bathtub and had drained all the water. It felt so surreal to Hotsuma and his mind just seemed to refuse to reboot again, making him just sit there and stare at absolutely nothing at all.

 

It had all happened so fast. One second Tsukumo had been stumbling behind him and the next he had felt the pull downwards that had signaled to him that the bridge had collapsed underneath Tsukumo’s feet. But before he had even been able to turn even the slightest inch around, a force had slammed upwards against the hand that had held Tsukumo’s and had pushed their hands apart. He had lost his grip on the young Zweilt and had been forced to watch helplessly on as Tsukumo – just as Toko minutes before – had disappeared in the sea of skeletons.

 

Hotsuma’s hands clenched in fists, dirt and sand getting under his nails as his fingers scrapped over the ground. How was he supposed to go on now? How was he supposed to do this without the siblings by his side? Oh yes, he had boasted that he could get Shusei back without any one’s help when they had first discovered the whereabouts of the brunet, but now …

 

Hotsuma’s eyes clenched shut. It wasn’t that he had ever truly believed he was capable of rescuing Shusei on his own – hell; he hadn’t even been able to do that when Shusei had been in Ashley’s clutches – but he hadn’t wanted to drag anyone else into this, whatever this was. He had already failed his own partner and had been terrified to let even more people down. To see even more people get hurt due to him. That’s why he had been anything but enthusiastic when Toko and Tsukumo had told him that they would be coming with him. Had it been that flaming Opast, he would have been okay with it as long as it hadn’t meant that Yuki would also have tagged along. Luka could take care of himself. Hell, that bastard would probably have taken one look at this reality and burned it to crisps and solved everything in the glimpse of an eye. He and Shusei would have been long home by now, enjoying each other’s company again and putting this behind them with him being just all the more anxious about Shusei suddenly disappearing out of his life again and his partner doing his best to appease those fears.

 

Nails dug into the flesh of the palm of his hands. Why in God’s name had he ever faulted to Tsukumo and Toko and allowed them to be dragged into this? He’d have to go after them. Pray that they were still okay despite what had just happened.

 

Hotsuma got back to his feet and stared into the bottomless pit. What would happen if he just jumped into the pit? Would he keep falling endlessly? Crash harshly into a hard surface that was being kept hidden from his eyes by the darkness? Well, there was only one way to find out.

 

Hotsuma stepped forward. His right foot came to hover over the void when a voice from the other side of the pit halted his next step.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?!” The voice was harsh, angry, disbelieving. The owner seemingly ready to pummel back some sense into him had they not been separated by the bottomless pit.

 

Cold, hard, golden eyes met piercing blue ones in the darkened room. The blue eyes seemed to shine even brighter than before despite the little light they could derive from the room. They almost shone ethereal and for a moment Hotsuma was taken aback by this powerful glow only to quickly recollect himself again. Tsukumo and Toko couldn’t afford him wasting time here like this by wondering about Sagara’s unusual eyes.

 

“What do you think I’m doing?!” Hotsuma shot back harshly. “I’m going after them.”

 

The blue eyes narrowed. “And how will this help Shusei?! Or are you just going to abandon him?! I’m stuck here but you can go on yet you are willing to sacrifice Shusei’s only chance so you can go after them whilst not even knowing whether they are still alive to begin with!” Anath’s voice rose in volume as he spoke.

 

Hotsuma went pale as Anath spoke out loud his own, silent fear. What if Tsukumo and Toko hadn’t made it? What if they were beyond his help? But even so, was this enough off a reason to abandon them? To chance it? Yet at the same time Sagara had also a point when he pushed his nose back onto the reason they had come here in the first place. Could he afford to let Shusei wait any longer? How long had it been already since his partner had been taken out of the school? Who knew what Harada was subjecting Shusei to? And even worse, had subjected his partner already to? What was he supposed to do?

 

Hotsuma glanced over his shoulder at the invitingly, awaiting door and then glanced back at the pit in front of him. Whom to go after and whom to abandon to their fate?

 

Time swirled around Hotsuma, licking at his skin, urging him to take a decision, telling him to seal one person’s fate. His fists clenched again. No, he couldn’t abandon Toko and Tsukumo. Shusei never would do that either. If the brunet had been here or had been able to reach out to him somehow, then his partner would have told him to go after the siblings. Okay, Shusei never had valued himself much and always put others above himself - believing them to be more worthy of salvation and rescuing than him - but that didn’t take away what the brunet would want him to do here.

 

Golden eyes locked anew with piercing blue ones. “I’m going,” Hotsuma told Anath. His voice didn’t waver nor did it hold a single sign of doubt. Hotsuma had made his decision and he’d be standing by it no matter the outcome.

 

“When faced with different persons in need, we go after the one that has the highest chance of survival.” Anath’s stern voice floated over the pit to Hotsuma. There was no emotion behind the words, just a declamation of a rule that had been drilled into all of them over and over again. And not just by their teachers but also by their own partners. You saved those whom had the best chance, even if this meant abandoning one’s own partner. “Whom do you think has the best chance here?” Anath continued, his eyes narrowed. He dared Hotsuma to contradict him. “Shusei or the Murasame siblings? The siblings mean nothing to Harada. Shusei does. She wants him or so you three have been claiming over and over again. Shusei stands here the best survival chances which means you know what you need to do.”

 

“I won’t abandon Toko and Tsukumo,” Hotsuma answered harshly. “I’ve never cared much about rules. I’m not going to start now. I’m going after them and once they’re safe, I’ll find Shusei. I won’t abandon anyone here to Harada. We’ve started this adventure together and we will all go home together again.”

 

“I never said you had to abandon anyone,” Anath shot back snarling. He stepped up to the ridge of the pit and looked down into the darkness. “I’ll go after the siblings. You make your way to Shusei. But, Renjou,” Anath’s eyes lifted again and came to train on the blond across him, “don’t think this means I am giving up on Shusei. I’ll find a way to join you again. I won’t let anyone or anything come that easily between Shusei and me.”

 

“Why are you doing this?” Hotsuma asked surprised. He had expected that Anath would have thrown a tantrum cause he had been cut off from Shusei after which the black-haired boy would have started to look for a different route to reach Shusei after all. He hadn’t expected however Anath to give importance to Toko and Tsukumo and certainly not to the point whereas Anath would put his own search for Shusei on hold in favor of the siblings. “I thought Toko and Tsukumo were of no importance to you. That none of us mattered to you.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Anath smiled grim and cruelly. “I don’t care about any of you. I’m only doing this for Shusei’s sake since me going after your precious siblings is the only way to make you move forward and will get Shusei quicker out of Harada’s clutches. So you’d better not disappoint me, Renjou.” Without another word Anath stepped off the ridge and Hotsuma saw the boy being swallowed up by the darkness. He was now the only one left in the room.

 

Hotsuma turned his attention back to the door behind him. Despite loathing the idea, he would have to trust in Anath to find Toko and Tsukumo and to bring them back to his side safe and sound. The siblings’ safety was now out of his hands. He had his own goal to accomplish.

 

Hotsuma stepped forward. He grabbed the door handle and pushed it downward. The door opened with a squeaking sound and revealed a new candle lit hallway. Hotsuma took a deep breath and then stepped through the doorway. His feet started a running pace, having brought him already around the first bend in the hallway before the door behind him had fallen shut again. Determination spurred the blond, lonely Zweilt on.

 

‘Shusei, hang on. I’m coming.’

 

\-------------------------------------------------

TBC

 


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25:

Hotsuma’s footsteps thundered down the hallway, the sound echoing back to him by the long, endless reaching walls. The blond felt like he had been running for hours already, but he refused to lower his pace. The walls had to end at some point or he’d have to pass at a certain moment a door or an opening in one of the walls to slip through. He was convinced of it. And if one wouldn’t be forthcoming soon, he’d make his own damned hole. He rounded another corner and skitted to a halt.

 

As if the surroundings had read his mind and had wanted to prevent damage, the hallway ended. A few steps away from him was a stony, sculptured constricted arc that gave entrance to a giant dome.  

 

Hotsuma walked forward at a more sedated pace and with his senses wary and on high alert for a sudden sneak attack. None was forthcoming and before he knew it, he was standing in the dome. A tingling sensation made itself known on his chest and Hotsuma reached under his shirt to pull the cross at the necklace out in the open. The cross was glowing faintly and felt pleasantly warm in his hand. He released the cross – it fell and came to hang anew around his neck – and his eyes started to dart around. His cross was reacting so that had to mean that Shusei was near.

 

The dome he was standing in gave off the air of a giant cave. The walls weren’t nicely polished like the other rooms and hallways they had come through had been. The floor was uneven, there were lose rocks laying around here and there and from the ceiling hung small forming stalactites. In the middle of the room was an ink-black pool and around the pool and against the walls stood bronze, life-sized candleholders. Right across from him – on the other side of the pool in the middle of the floor – were three steps that led to a hardly raised stage on which stood a throne. On both sides of the throne hung crème colored curtains from the ceiling to the ground. The throne itself was golden with red velvet fabric and on the throne sat Harada. The elbow of her left arm leaned on the elbow-resting of the throne and the right side of her face was resting on her left hand. A bored expression lay in her eyes.

 

“I see God’s Light’s crosses have more than one function,” Harada spoke, suddenly bringing forth a glowing cross herself. She was careful not to let the cross itself touch her skin but held the chain between her fingers trapped and let the cross dangle in the air. Hotsuma’s eyes narrowed. It was the protective charm Yuki had made for Shusei.

 

“I already wondered why it suddenly started to glow,” Harada continued. “But now that you are here … Oh well,” she shrugged. She got to her feet and threw the cross away. It fell with a clinking noise in the darkness somewhere to the left of the pool. Then she strode forward towards Hotsuma, stopping only a few paces away from the ink-black pool. “I have to say that I am impressed you made it here. Truth be told, I was convinced one of my carefully laid traps would have bested you. I spent so much time and careful consideration in devising them just for you. I am rather disappointed you managed to evade all of their deadly jaws. Then again,” her eyes narrowed in contempt, “you never were one to let anyone or anything keep you from Shusei, now were you Renjou? Even after you nearly killed him, you kept clinging on to Shusei.” Harada’s eyes bore angry holes into Hotsuma’s skull.

 

“Cut your crap, you flaming Opast!” Hotsuma bellowed. He took a step forward whilst his sword materialized. He pointed the sword threateningly in Harada’s direction. “Where is Shusei?!”

 

Harada brought her hand before her mouth and laughed. The sound sent chills down Hotsuma’s spine and made him fear the worst for a second there. What had she done to Shusei that made the crazy bitch so happy and delighted by his request?

 

Harada regarded him happily, a strange glint in her eyes. “That’s right. We can’t hold a full blown reunion without the main guest.” She raised her hand to the ink-black pool and murmured a few words. The ink-black surface started to bubble and slowly a transparent diamond rose up out of the ink-black liquid. Shusei was held captive inside. The brunet’s eyes locked onto Hotsuma for a second before they glided further, the brunet obviously checking whether someone else was with the blond and hiding perhaps still behind Hotsuma’s figure. It stung Hotsuma cause it didn’t take a genius to figure out whom Shusei was looking for. Anath … Always Anath. As if the brunet couldn’t think for a single second about anyone else but the black-haired boy. And Hotsuma knew, he knew he had to be used to it by now. Hadn’t Shusei already betrayed their love enough times in this strange universe for Anath’s sake? But no matter how many times it happened. No matter how many times he had to witness this betrayal, it kept feeling each time as if someone cut his heart out with a blunt object to maximize the pain.

 

Hotsuma’s free hand clenched in a fist whilst his other hand gripped his sword harder. There wasn’t a single thing he could do about that currently. First thing first. Getting Shusei out of that damn thing and out of Harada’s clutches. He turned angered eyes on Harada. “Let him the fuck go!” He took another step towards Harada.

 

Harada ignored the threat Hotsuma posed. She walked over to the rim of the pool and stared at the diamond shaped cell and its prisoner. She spoke thoughtfully. “I had been thinking about letting Shusei go and make him chose between you and his other new boy toy, but you boys kinda thwarted that idea by losing the siblings along the way.” Her eyes travelled back to Hotsuma and she made a ts-king sound whilst waving her finger at Hotsuma. “Shame on you, Renjou. You really should be more careful in the future when it comes to people’s lives. Hm, I wonder,” Harada’s face got a thoughtful expression, “will those two still be able to come back now that your precious Takashiro-sama wasn’t around to cast the reincarnation spell? Or did I manage to finally grant them their eternal rest? Perhaps you should be more grateful to me, Renjou.” Harada’s eyes gained a cold edge again. “After all, I freed them of the cage you were put into by Takashiro. I can offer you the same salvation. Just imagine,” Harada started to strode towards Hotsuma, “to be free of all that pain, guilt and suffering for the rest of eternity. Not having to come back time after time to repeat the same stupid mistakes over and over again and hurt all those around you. Now doesn’t that sound divine? An offer worth considering?” She halted a few steps out of Hotsuma’s reach.

 

Hotsuma’s hand clenched harder around the grip of his sword. “Not interested,” he replied in a dark, determined voice. “Even if we are reborn to the same sufferings time after time, we vowed to bear them, our heads held high. No matter how painful or pathetic … we all have vowed to live and keep on living. Even if we stumble and fall to our knees, we’ll keep going on. Even if it means degrading ourselves to crawling on our hands and knees.” Hotsuma smiled ruthless. “You say Tsukumo and Toko are dead? You don’t know them. As if they’d let a low ranking Opast like you get the better of them. They’ll be here soon enough.”

 

A pleased smile came to play around Harada’s mouth. “Well then, how about we make it more interesting then?” she asked joyfully. She raised her hand towards the diamond shaped prison. Her hand started to glow and water out of the ink-black pool rose up and started to fill the diamond that held Shusei prisoner.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes widened in horror as he saw the predicament his partner was in now. “SHUSEI!” he called out, rushing over to the diamond prison only to find a force suddenly slamming into his unprotected side and making him crash into the wall, away from his partner. As he climbed back to his feet, Harada came to place herself between him and Shusei.

 

“You have such faith in your precious Zweilt partners, let’s see if it is grounded,” Harada spoke up. “Let’s see whether they can reach us before your precious partner has drowned.”

 

Hotsuma’s eyes looked bewildered over Harada’s shoulder at Shusei. The brunet’s feet had already disappeared into the ink-black liquid that was filling the diamond and it was still rising. But still …

 

Hotsuma’s eyes went back to Harada, a firm belief in them. “You won’t kill him,” he said simply. “If you kill Shusei, you’ll end up empty handed. You won’t risk that after all the trouble you went through to get him at your side.”

 

Harada started to laugh. “You silly Zweilt,” she hiccupped. “Dead or alive, it doesn’t matter to me cause in the end he will still be mine.” A challenging gleam lay in Harada’s eyes, the girl daring him to understand what she was getting at, but Hotsuma was at a loss. He didn’t understand how Harada could be pleased with a dead Shusei. Then they both would have lost … Or was that perhaps the reason behind it? Didn’t she care that she wouldn’t have Shusei after all just as long as he didn’t have Shusei either?

 

Hotsuma’s eyes shot back to Shusei. Shusei was taking in the situation the brunet had found himself in. Golden green eyes were scanning the diamond shaped prison for any weak spots to exploit and Hotsuma was convinced that if anyone would be able to find a way out of that diamond shaped prison, it would be Shusei. Hotsuma just had to have faith in his partner. His attention transferred itself back to Harada. She was the one he had to focus on. Getting himself killed whilst trying to reach Shusei wouldn’t help his partner. He brought his sword back up and prepared himself to attack the girl in front of him.

 

Harada’s lips twitched into a cold smile. She held her arms out horizontal and two chakrams appeared in her hands. The chakrams were smooth circles with two big and sharp edges sticking out left and right at the top opposite of the handle around which Harada’s hands were clenched. The silver of her weapons glistened in the candlelight.

 

Harada took a slightly crouched position. One of the chakrams was held behind her whilst the other was situated in front of her at waist height. She waited.

 

Hotsuma launched himself at Harada. His sword was met by the girl’s chakram. The steel of his Masterstroke gritted against one of the sharp edges of Harada’s chakram that had intercepted the blow. Immediately after Harada brought her second chakram forward in a vertical and cutting upward motion. Hotsuma managed to jump backwards just in time. One of the sharp edges of the chakram cleaved through the air just an inch in front of his nose.

 

Hotsuma gritted his teeth and went in for a second attack. Harada crossed her chakrams and her weapons intercepted once again the blow. Her right foot came off the ground right after and before Hotsuma could react; her heel planted itself in Hotsuma’s stomach and the blond was sent flying by the force behind her kick.

 

Hotsuma landed a few feet away on the ground. Dirt and debris flew up in the air where he slid a bit over the ground until his backward motion came to a halt. He gritted his teeth. Harada was slowly walking over towards him. Behind her he could see Shusei. The brunet was already standing up to his waist in the water. Hotsuma gripped his sword back harder in his hand. Time was running out. Shusei’s prison was filling up way quicker than he had expected. He needed to get his partner out of there.

 

Hotsuma brought the tip of his sword to the ground and used it as support to climb back to his feet. He straightened back up and went for Harada. This time the girl didn’t bring up her chakrams and for a second Hotsuma believed that he had managed to out fast her but then his sword cut nothing but air and an elbow was planted in his back, making him fly forward and crash into the wall.

 

Hotsuma mentally shook his head. Harada had just outsmarted him by stepping out of his attack’s path and delivering her own attack as he had bypassed her. **He** was making rookie mistakes. This wasn’t like him. It was just as back then with Ashley. He had to clear his mind of Shusei. Had to divert all his attention to the battlefield. That was the only way to survive this. The only way for **both** of them to survive this.

 

Hotsuma closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He willed his mind to empty itself of everything. Shusei’s predicament. Toko and Tsukumo’s fall. Shusei’s new lover …

 

 _“Empty your mind, Renjou, and focus only on what is important. Focus on your surroundings. Stand in the here and now. Listen, hear, feel. Become one with your surroundings.”_ His teacher’s voice filled his head and transported him back to his training sessions with the man. The many evenings they had both stood outside under a starry night, him trying to predict his master’s next attack by just feeling and not seeing.

 

A calmness overtook Hotsuma and spread all through his being. He could hear his own breathing, felt his heart beating, felt the sword in his hand, felt the ground beneath his feet … He reached further and threw his consciousness out towards his surroundings. The coldness that came off the cave’s walls, a change in density where the pool was, the shifting of the air where it had to curl around obstacles, the clicking of Harada’s heels as she approached, the soft swish of air as one of her chakrams was lifted, the column of air that slammed down upon him as the weapon was brought down …

 

Hotsuma’s sword lifted and clashed with the downward slashing chakram. His eyes shot open and he whirled to the left, side stepping Harada’s follow up attack with her second chakram. His free hand clenched into a fist and he brought it up, delivering an uppercut to Harada’s cheek.

 

Hotsuma’s knuckles connected with Harada’s flesh and the girl was sent flying with a high pitched scream from her. She crashed a few feet away from Hotsuma onto the ground and rolled over a few times before she stayed still on the ground.

 

Hotsuma carefully approached her, wary for a trap. He couldn’t imagine that Harada had gone down this easily. That it had only taken one punch to bring her down.

 

Harada lay with her face downwards. Hotsuma stayed on his guard as he crouched down beside her and grabbed her left shoulder. His fingers grabbed through her shoulder as the girl disappeared in front of his eyes. The air behind him got disturbed.  

 

“Always guard your back,” Harada sneered into Hotsuma’s ear, aiming her right chakram for Hotsuma’s exposed back. The sharp edge of the chakram cut through Hotsuma’s shirt and then suddenly the movement stilled. Harada choked out a gasp as she got launched backwards, the round edge of Hotsuma’s Masterstroke having been slammed into her stomach.

 

Harada slammed into the wall and remained sitting on the ground for a few seconds, trying to gather her wits again. A shadow fell over her and as she looked angrily up, she stared right at Hotsuma whom stood in front of her. The tip of his crooked sword was aimed at her.

 

“I know,” Hotsuma spoke up. “It was one of the first things my master hammered into me. Just as he taught me to never show any mercy upon an Opast.”

 

Flames appeared around Hotsuma’s sword and Harada felt the temperature rise of the air in front of her.

 

“Goodbye, bitch,” Hotsuma snarled. His sword was brought upwards and then came slashing down towards Harada’s sitting figure. The flames licked the steel of the crooked sword hungrily, trying to dislodge themselves from the steel to throw themselves onto their intended prey and devour said prey.

 

Exactly at the last moment Harada shifted sideways, escaping the attack. Hotsuma whirled towards her escaping figure but suddenly fabric curled itself all around his neck and yanked him backwards, away from Harada. The fabric tightened itself around Hotsuma’s throat and the blond let out a choked gasp. His sword cluttered to the ground and his hands came up and tried to tear the fabric away from his neck. Behind him sounded a ripping sound and before he knew it, strips curled themselves around his wrists and ankles and held him imprisoned and rooted to the spot. His arms were pulled upwards and held there whilst his legs were held spread wide open.

 

Harada approached and fingered the crème colored fabric of the curtain that had nestled itself around Hotsuma’s neck. Choked gasps kept coming from Hotsuma as the blond did his best to keep getting air into his lungs whilst trying to stay conscious. He couldn’t afford to lose consciousness cause then he’d be done for.

 

Harada made a slow circle around Hotsuma’s trapped figure. “It seems your master failed. Just as before.”

 

Hotsuma’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What did she mean ‘just as before’?

 

Harada stopped behind Hotsuma and leaned in. Her warm breath ghosted over Hotsuma’s ear shell. “But don’t worry. I won’t kill you. Not yet. Not before our little bet is settled.” Harada’s fingertips grabbed Hotsuma’s chin – her nails digging deep into Hotsuma’s flesh – and she forced the blond to look at Shusei. The brunet had disappeared into the dark liquid until his chin. “Say, Renjou, do you still belief your precious friends will come and save you?”

 

Hotsuma tried to shake Harada’s grip of him, but this only resulted into the fabric tightening even more around his throat and Harada’s nails digging even deeper into his chin. She was unrelenting and there was nothing he could do. Shusei was going to die here and so was he. Even if Tsukumo and Toko were still alive, they’d never make it in time. All was lost.

 

“Let … him … go …”Hotsuma managed to push past his constricted windpipe.

 

“Now why would I do that?” Harada asked sugary sweet. The nails of her other hand raked lovingly over Hotsuma’s cheek. “Even in his death struggle, he is breathtakingly gorgeous.”

 

Tears gathered in the corners of Hotsuma’s eyes. The ink-dark liquid had reached Shusei’s nose and the brunet was doing his best to still grasp lungs full of air out of the limited air-filled space that was left but even this option was running out. “Why?” Hotsuma choked out pained.

 

The to Hotsuma invisible smile on Harada’s face rang clear in her tone of voice. “Why? I already told you. Because I can.”

 

Hotsuma shook his head feebly. Shusei was now completely emerged under the liquid. Hotsuma couldn’t see his partner anymore. All that was left of the brunet were his desperate hits on the transparent wall of the diamond. His flesh was visible for a few seconds whenever Shusei’s knuckles connected with the barrier of the diamond shaped prison. Gradually the constant pounding started to diminish in frequency and strength until Hotsuma was left awaiting desperately a new testimony of his partner still being alive without this sign ever coming. In his heart Hotsuma screamed out for his lost partner.

 

“SSSSHHHHHUUUUUUUSSSSSEEEEEIIIIII!!!!!!!”

\--------------------------------------------------------------

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I see a lot of "hits" and "kudos" on the story but apart from one person, I haven't gotten a single review ... Am I to assume that they all come from one and the very same and very kind person then who wants to feel me appreciated and seriously likes the story?
> 
> How about we make a deal? Going by the amount of kudos, it should be possible to get reviews from five different people at least, no? It doesn't have to be a long review, I just would love to know who reads the story. So come one, let yourself be heard! 
> 
> Five reviews means next chapter. If that ain't a good drive to review ...

Chapter 26:

Harada started to laugh triumphantical. She released Hotsuma and hopped over to the diamond that had become Shusei’s final resting place. She touched one of its walls and turned back towards Hotsuma. Her face beamed, but the blond didn’t register any of this anymore. His head hung down and he hung limply in the fabric bonds. The light had disappeared out of his eyes, all hope gone.

 

Fingers appeared again under the blond’s chin and lifted Hotsuma’s face till the blond’s eyes met back Harada’s. “Do you wish for death now, Zweilt?”

 

Hotsuma didn’t respond. His eyes didn’t even focus on Harada. He wasn’t there anymore. All that was left was his empty shell. He had died with Shusei. It didn’t matter anymore to him what happened to this empty vessel. Shusei was gone …

 

Harada paused for a moment. She frowned at Hotsuma. “This isn’t fun anymore you know,” she complained. “Where has that cocky attitude of yours gone? That strong belief you were better than me? Killing you like this is hardly any fun.” Harada pouted.

 

Hotsuma didn’t care. As if he lived to make Opasts’ lives joyful. There was only one reason he came back time after time and faced all the hardship and pain over and over again. It was his duty as a Zweilt, yes - and Yuki’s blood that ran through his veins made it impossible for him to escape that fate - but each time there was also a free will involved. The will to come back and not for Yuki or for his duty as a Zweilt but for Shusei. For a new shot with the brunet, a new chance to get it right this time around even if in his heart he always knew that their relationship was doomed even before they were reborn. But that had never mattered as long as they could be together.

 

But now it was over. Harada had just made an end to it. Shusei was gone and would never come back to him. So what was there left to live for? Why still struggle? Over the centuries many Zweilts had died in this war. He would just be one of many. The others would step in and take care of Yuki just as they had done when he had first started on this journey. Sairi and Ria had come back home from their respective film shootings and taken over as guardians for Toko, Tsukumo and him so they had been able to go after Shusei. Kuroto was in the same class as Yuki and walked the boy to and back from school with Luka always fateful accompanying them. No, Yuki would be fine. He could die in peace. He didn’t need to put up an unnecessary struggle anymore just to amuse Harada. It wasn’t like it’d get him anywhere anyway. The strips of fabric were too tightly wrapped around him. They cut into his wrists and ankles and only allowed a very limited amount of air to pass his windpipe – just enough to prevent him from blacking out due to a lack of oxygen. No, there was nothing he could do anymore to change the outcome...

 

And then suddenly a voice rang out in his head, calling his name, crystal clear and shattering the numbness he had let himself be lulled into. Hotsuma’s head snapped up and, still lightly dazed, watched the events unroll themselves in front of him.

 

The firing of shots sounded. Shusei’s prison shattered. The liquid fell and joined the rest again in the pool. Shusei’s limp body also crashed into the pool and disappeared under the ink-black surface. The constriction around his neck loosened, quickly followed by the ones around his wrists and ankles at the same time as a swift shadow appeared at the side of the pool and dove into it.

 

Hotsuma fell on his hands and knees and stared at the ink-black pool where two heads popped back up above the surface. Anath’s and Shusei’s, the black-haired boy supporting Shusei’s head and bringing himself and Shusei to the side of the pool where Tsukumo awaited them and helped Anath to bring Shusei out of the water. Anath didn’t need any help. The black-haired youth pushed himself out of the water and immediately fell beside Shusei’s limp body on his knees. A few words were exchanged between Tsukumo and Anath before both boys started to do CPR. Anath tilted Shusei’s head backwards, opened the brunet’s mouth and did a quick check that nothing was stuck in Shusei’s windpipe before he started to breathe air into the brunet’s air deprived lungs. Tsukumo in the mean time had loosened Shusei’s shirt and vest and placed his hands folded over Shusei’s chest.

 

Hotsuma watched muted and frozen in place on as Anath and Tsukumo worked together to try and bring Shusei back. Two breaths of air, a round of fifteen heart massages. Two breaths of air, fifteen heart massages. Again, again … Unconsciously Hotsuma found himself praying to whomever was willing to listen to let the two boys up ahead of him be successful. Anath bent again over Shusei, pinched the brunet’s nose closed and brought his mouth on top of Shusei’s open one and breathed into the brunet’s mouth. Shusei’s chest rose and fell. Anath breathed again. Shusei’s chest rose again and then Hotsuma suddenly heard the most beautiful sound of all. Shusei started to splutter and choke, bits of water being trundled out of the brunet’s mouth. Anath and Tsukumo quickly rolled Shusei onto the boy’s side and Shusei started to vomit up water. Anath drew comforting circles onto Shusei’s back whilst leaning over the boy and whispering things into Shusei’s ear that Hotsuma couldn’t hear. The brunet choked and heaved, his vomiting diminishing and Shusei just concentrating now on just trying to get back enough air into his lungs.

 

Joyful tears appeared in the corners of Hotsuma’s eyes. He softly whispered in a relieved way Shusei’s name whilst he drunkenly got back to his feet and took a few swaying steps towards the other three boys. Part of him still couldn’t believe that Fate once again had come through for them and had let Shusei return to him. Part of him still feared that this was just some mind trick from Harada or from his own grief-stricken mind and that the scene in front of him could disappear any second now and trust him back into the cold, harsh and lonely reality.

 

Shusei’s name tumbled anew from his lips, a silent prayer for this to be real. A silent prayer to have Shusei look around and look for him. To have those golden-green eyes seek him out again and lock eyes with him. To have Shusei smile relieved at him upon seeing him anew and telling him silently that he was okay, that they were okay … But his prayer remained unanswered as Anath was the one Shusei focused on as soon as the brunet had come back enough to his positives to acknowledge his surroundings and the people with him.

 

Hotsuma felt his heart tumble downward in a free fall. The joy he had just now still felt at having Shusei returned to him got taken over by the ugly truth that Fate hadn’t brought Shusei back to him but to Anath. Anath, the person whom owned Shusei’s heart now and the person whom had saved Shusei when he had been unable to.

 

Tsukumo’s eyes travelled from Shusei’s form over to him and Hotsuma saw the compassion in those eyes but at the same time Tsukumo’s silent message to keep hope, to keep remembering that Anath wasn’t truly Shusei’s soul mate but that he was. That this, whatever it exactly was between Shusei and Anath, was not only unnatural but also held at bay by Shusei even if one would not think this by seeing Shusei’s behavior towards Anath.

 

Hotsuma’s eyes travelled back to the two lovers, but before his eyes could take Shusei and Anath in, a crash sounded behind him that made him whirl on instinct on the heels of his feet towards the sound and the possible danger.

 

Toko was battling Harada, her big sword slashing at the other girl whom either easily avoided each attack or intercepted it with one of her two chakrams. Toko was driving Harada backwards but the young Zweilt girl had by no means the upper hand in this battle.

 

Hotsuma swore under his breath. He had been so focused on Shusei that he had completely forgotten about the bitch nor had registered that Toko hadn’t been beside Tsukumo. How long had Toko already been up against Harada on her own, doing her utmost best to keep the Opast away from them and keep them safe?

 

Hotsuma called his sword again to his hand and then took off in Harada and Toko’s direction. Shusei was safe for now and would remain safe. Tsukumo and Anath would see to that which allowed him to focus completely on taking the Opast out once and for all.

 

Harada felt Hotsuma coming. Her eyes glanced sideways for a second into Hotsuma’s direction and then without any warning, she released her second chakram in Hotsuma’s direction whilst her other one intercepted Toko’s big sword.

 

Hotsuma brought his scimitar forward and he smacked the chakram away. The chakram changed direction and flew straight for the wall but instead of colliding with the wall and coming to a halt there in a heap on the ground, the chakram screeched over the wall for a second before it came straight back for him. Hotsuma leaned backwards and the chakram passed him by less than an inch. It banged again against a wall and then returned to Harada whom effortlessly caught it and immediately launched it forward in Toko’s direction.

 

Toko’s eyes snapped wide open in sickening realization. Her sword was already performing an attack upon Harada, making it for her impossible to intercept the incoming chakram. She closed her eyes and turned her head slightly sideways whilst her nose scrunched up in wait for the pain that would explode throughout her body any second now.

 

Shots got fired and ricocheted off the chakram. The chakram was brought out of balance and flew half tilted by Toko, only taking a few strands of her long, strawberry blond hair with.

 

Harada’s angered eyes shot towards Tsukumo whom was standing in front of Anath and Shusei – Shusei still on the ground and held protectively in Anath’s arms – with his gun trained on Harada and not in the least shaken by the foul look the Opast was sending him. His finger squeezed the trigger anew a few times and forced Harada to jump backwards and away from Toko.

 

Harada landed back gracefully on her feet a few feet away from Toko. The wall was behind her and protected her at this side. The danger lay in the blond Zweilt that had stepped up towards her and had aligned himself with the strawberry blond Zweilt in front of her, not to forget the silver-haired boy with his gun.

 

“My, my, aren’t you all brave. Three against one.” Harada mocked.

 

“Shut up,” Hotsuma growled, holding his sword in front of him and pointed at Harada. “Whereas you lot are concerned, an honest fight doesn’t exist anyway.”

 

Harada bowed her head slightly. Her bangs fell in front of her eyes and obscured the top half of her face. Around her mouth appeared a tiny smile. It put both Toko and Hotsuma on alert. Toko gripped her sword more tightly.

 

“Very well then,” Harada said, “but allow me to even the odds a bit more.”

 

Her words weren’t yet cold or the curtains beside the throne in the cave bellowed and shot towards Tsukumo and Toko. Toko’s sword got knocked out of her hand, the fabric immediately after curling itself around her right wrist and yanking her backwards. The other curtain went for Tsukumo and shot downwards as Tsukumo fired at it. The fabric curled itself around Tsukumo’s legs, contracted together and bound Tsukumo’s legs together. The silver-haired boy lost his balance and fell to the ground after which he got dragged away from Shusei and Anath over the ground.

 

Hotsuma looked in horror over his shoulder at the predicament his two friends were in. The curtains had pulled the siblings to the throne where even more strips of fabric had wrapped themselves around them. Toko and Tsukumo were struggling against their bonds, trying to break free, but so far it was in vain. A movement of air made Hotsuma’s attention snap back forwards and his eyes widened as Harada had taken advantage of his moment of distraction and had launched herself at him. The sharp edge of Harada’s left chakram was just an inch away from his eye.

 

Instinctively Hotsuma started to lean backwards to try and avoid the attack even if he knew it was futile. The tip of the sharp edge came closer and closer, growing larger as it closed in on his right eye and then suddenly a light blue spear flashed before his eyes and the metal edge disappeared as the chakram had been slammed out of Harada’s hand and now crashed useless against the wall. Both he and Harada regarded to their right, their eyes coming to focus on Shusei. The brunet was back to his feet. His right hand hovered in the air in front of him due to the spear he had sent towards Harada’s weapon and on his face lay a determined expression. Beside Shusei stood Anath. The black-haired boy called forth his own weapon.

 

Harada’s eyes narrowed. “How dare you attack me …” She set off and went straight for Shusei, but at the same time Anath started forward and launched himself in Harada’s attack path. He brought his floret forward as he ducked underneath Harada’s chakram. The girl disappeared just in time to avoid the floret.

 

She appeared again a few meters further and gazed over her shoulder at the spot she had just been and where Anath currently was. “You foul creature,” Harada snarled, twisting her body around to attack Anath from behind only to have her attention drawn again to her right as Shusei lunged forward for her. His two transparent swords were called forth and in his hands. The brunet slashed at Harada and made the girl jump backwards to avoid the attack. Right away Harada had to whirl sideways to avoid the incoming attack from behind, courtesy of Anath. The black-haired boy wore a determined expression and he moved immediately sideways with Harada, following her movement. His floret came in for a second attack, stopped by Harada’s chakram.

 

“Don’t think I’ll make it easy on you,” Harada snarled. Anath smiled back nasty before he called out to his lover.

 

“Shusei!”

 

Shusei brought both his hands up midways and his orbs appeared. The blue, shining balls floated in the air above the brunet’s outstretched, facing up palms of his hands. He muttered a few words and the orbs started to circle around Shusei in a rapid pace before they suddenly all shot forwards towards Harada and Anath, transforming into spears as they went.

 

Anath kept the pressure on his and Harada’s locked weapons, keeping the girl in place like this, and only jumped away at the very last second before the spears could wound him too.

 

A storm of blue spears rained down on Harada. The girl tried to avoid them, tried to jump into the safe spots between the spears but there were too many. One wrong footing and the first spear caught her in the right arm. She screamed out and lost her concentration. More spears hit their mark. One cutting through her side at the waist, another cleaving through her right shoulder and a third spear creating a deep gash in her left leg. She stumbled a few paces forward before she regained her balance and her murderous gaze came to rest on Shusei.

 

“Unforgivable,” Harada muttered in the brunet’s direction. “You will pay for this!” Once again she went straight for Shusei. Both Anath and Hotsuma set off at the same time, wanting to come to their lover’s aid, but having predicted such a move, Harada’s two chakrams appeared in her hands and she sent one in each of their direction, halting their own attack and making them shift from offence to defense.

 

Harada closed in on Shusei whom called forth his own two swords again and awaited the girl. Harada followed his example and called forth a new set of chakrams. These chakrams were silver and had several sharp spikes sticking out all around the circle. Harada twirled the chakrams fastly in her hands and they created a cutting wind that headed straight for Shusei.

 

The brunet jumped upwards, out of the attack’s path. Harada immediately released one of her chakrams after him. Shusei brought his right sword forward and intercepted the chakram after which he knocked the weapon sideward to the ground. But Harada wasn’t yet done with him and she also sent her second chakram after him and as Shusei also intercepted this attack and knocked it down, she called forth the next set of chakrams that she sent after the brunet. This time she didn’t await the outcome but immediately after produced once again a new set of chakrams in her hands that she directed towards Shusei.

 

Shusei found himself stepping backwards as he intercepted and blocked attack after attack. The chakrams kept coming his way, banging against his swords and gradually tiny cracks started to appear in the transparent material of his blades.

 

Shusei gritted his teeth. If this kept up, his swords would shatter and he’d be left at Harada’s mercy. A quick glance to the right told him that Anath was in no position to come to his aid. The black-haired teen too - just as Renjou also - had found himself under the attack of Harada’s chakrams, the girl dividing now her weapons over the three of them and sending them further apart from each other.

 

Shusei’s eyes came to rest again on Harada, searching for an opening he could use to his advantage. Behind her he could see the Murasame siblings still struggling against the stripes of fabric that were holding them captive. An idea popped into his head. He awaited Harada’s next chakram, but this time - instead of intercepting the weapon and slashing it to the ground -he tilted his sword lightly, hooked the blade under one of the spikes and then tossed the chakram back towards Harada.

 

The chakram flew past the girl whom started to laugh. “You’ll have to aim better than that.” Shusei’s eyes narrowed. She was right. Even though he hadn’t been aiming for her, the chakram did miss its intended target and crashed against the wall a few feet away from Tsukumo.

 

Unaware of what Shusei was truly trying, Harada renewed her attack on the brunet. Shusei once again tilted his sword, hooked it under one of the chakram’s spikes and then sent the chakram back the way it came from. This time the chakram flew just past Tsukumo. ‘Just a few more inches,’ Shusei’s mind told him. The boy spread his legs a bit further apart and made sure he braced himself. The cracks in his swords had widened and deepened. He had to hurry. His swords wouldn’t be able to take much more of this abuse. ‘Third time’s a charm,’ he told himself mentally.

 

The next chakram reached him. Shusei used the knowledge he had gained during his two previous attempts and repeated the process with a few, minor changes. His sword hooked again under a spike and then returned the chakram. But as he applied pressure on his sword to send the chakram back, the sword unexpectedly shattered and Shusei stumbled backwards. He lost his balance and crashed to the ground. Immediately Harada vanished from her spot and appeared again right in front of Shusei, towering over the brought down boy. Her leg shot out and with the heel of her foot she kicked Shusei’s other sword out of the brunet’s hand. Shusei was now defenseless.

 

Light sparkled in Harada’s right hand and a black chakram appeared there. This chakram had four long and slender spikes - one in each wind direction - and one of those spikes was directed right at Shusei, hovering only an inch above Shusei’s heart. “Bad luck,” Harada stated.

 

Shusei’s eyes narrowed as he looked up at her in contempt. His swordless hand shifted slightly on the ground and in his mind sparked confusion as his fingers brushed against something cold. The confusion however quickly turned into a spark of realization as to what he had come across. Whilst Harada brought her chakram backwards to gain momentum for the attack, his hand reached for the object his fingers had brushed against whilst keeping his eyes on the girl in front of him.

 

Harada’s chakram moved back forward as his hand curled around the object on the ground.

 

The chakram passed Harada’s body and was crossing the empty space between Shusei and the girl.

 

Shusei’s hand came upwards and his arm moved forwards whilst it lifted itself.

 

The edge of the spike tore through the material of Shusei’s shirt just as his hand opened and released the found object in Harada’s direction. The cross and the silver necklace sparkled in the air as it flew towards Harada.

 

The chakram moved closer and Shusei could feel the cold steel tip penetrating the burn mark that covered his chest. Blood welled up out of the inflicted wound.

 

The cross hit its mark. It touched Harada right between the eyebrows.

 

The girl screamed out. Her chakram fell useless in Shusei’s lap as her hands came up to her face whilst she stumbled backwards and away from Shusei.

 

Shots sounded immediately after and Harada only narrowly avoided them. The bullets impacted into the ground and made small pebbles sprout in the air. Harada’s hands came off her face and she threw an enraged glare at Tsukumo. The grey-haired boy didn’t heed her rage any attention and shot another round at Harada.

 

Harada appeared and disappeared in a rapid pace as she flew towards Tsukumo, but before she could reach the boy, Hotsuma crashed into her from the side. The blond effectively knocked her out of her path and made her crash onto the ground a few meters to the side.

 

“How dare you all!” Harada shrieked, getting back to her feet. Murderous and enraged eyes stood in her face. “I will kill you all!”

 

Hotsuma calmly took a step towards her whilst lifting his sword in her direction. “You have that backwards, foul demon. It is us whom will eradicate you from the face of the planet.”

 

Harada’s eyes narrowed. Two new chakrams appeared in her hands and she set off towards Hotsuma but at the very last second she veered away from the blond and headed straight again for Shusei. The brunet needed to pay. He was the traitor. She herself may not have long anymore to live thanks to the pack of Zweilts ganging up on her, but she sure as hell would make sure to take the brunet with her. Even if it was the last thing she did. If she could not have him, no one would.

 

Harada lifted her right chakram to deliver the final blow to Shusei.  The brunet calmly awaited her – he didn’t even make a single attempt to escape - but she wasn’t about to let this deter her from her goal. Even if Shusei had something planned, he was more vulnerable than before due to one of his swords having shattered. The boy would only be able to intercept one of her chakrams and then she would drive her second one straight into his gut.   He wouldn’t know what hit him.

 

The chakram came down when suddenly a pale blue light on the ground started to shine all around her. Confused Harada halted her attack and scanned the floor. She was standing in a perfect circle that had been formed by Shusei’s orbs. The orbs were giving off light and were connected with each other through a blue energy line. Shocked and horror-filled eyes whirled up to meet Shusei’s cold ones.

 

“You are trapped,” Shusei said and right after blue energy lines shot upwards out of the orbs and formed a sturdy cage in which Harada found herself trapped. She looked around herself, taking in the cage, before her eyes settled anew on the brunet in front of her. Shusei had walked closer to the cage.

 

A small smile came to play around Harada’s lips as she watched Shusei. “You think this will free you?”

 

Shusei opened his mouth to answer her when suddenly his eyes were drawn to something on Harada’s forehead. His eyes opened wide in shock and then snapped away from Harada’s figure to Renjou whom was standing a few feet away from the cage. A golden-red glow was surrounding the blond as the other boy was calling forth his power to make good on his word and sent Harada back to where she had come from.

 

Shusei reached out towards Hotsuma desperately. “Hotsuma! Don’t!”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

TBC


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very big thank you to those who actually did review after my request last chapter. I hadn't expected it to be such a big deal to ask for five reviews but seeing as it took more than one month, it probably was way too much to ask for many of you ... I will be honest, it has made me feel very sad and disappointed. But as promised, the next chapter ...

Chapter 27:

“You are trapped,” Shusei said and right after blue energy lines shot upwards out of the orbs and formed a sturdy cage in which Harada found herself trapped. She looked around herself, taking in the cage, before her eyes settled anew on the brunet in front of her. Shusei had walked closer to the cage.

 

A small smile came to play around Harada’s lips as she watched Shusei. “You think this will free you?”

 

Shusei opened his mouth to answer her when suddenly his eyes were drawn to something on Harada’s forehead. His eyes opened wide in shock and then snapped away from Harada’s figure to Renjou whom was standing a few feet away from the cage. A golden-red glow was surrounding the blond as the other boy was calling forth his power to make good on his word and sent Harada back to where she had come from.

 

Shusei reached out towards Hotsuma desperately. “Hotsuma! Don’t!” he shouted just as Hotsuma released his attack on Harada and the cage. Anath barreled from the side into Shusei and the two boys rolled over the ground away from the cage and Hotsuma’s attack. Anath’s left hand cradled protectively the back of Shusei’s head so the brunet couldn’t bang it against the ground. When their movement stopped – Shusei on top of Anath – Shusei pushed himself away from his lover and stared in horror at the cage that had caught blaze. The flames licked at the cage and at Harada whom was screaming in pain. Small specks of fire drifted in the air all around them and a heavy smoke whirled above the cage whilst the horrible stench of burned flesh filled their nostrils.

 

Another scream from Harada pierced the air before everything fell silent and all that was left to be heard was the crackling of the flames.

 

Hotsuma walked closer to the burning cage and stared haughty at it. Shusei’s cage disappeared and slowly the flames died down, leaving a carbonized body behind on the ground. Hotsuma’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He threw a look over his shoulder at the Murasame siblings whom had approached.

 

“Shouldn’t she have disappeared?” Hotsuma asked Toko and Tsukumo. He remembered how Ashley had scattered into pieces that had disappeared and how also that one part of the twins had left behind not a single trace of ever having existed. Didn’t all Opast die like that?

 

“The realm is still in place too,” Toko noted.

 

“Perhaps it will take some time for it to dissolve,” Tsukumo replied. He crouched down beside the carbonized body and studied it. Hotsuma had made a valiant point. Normally Opasts got sent back to where they had come from without leaving behind a single proof of their existence. Had the realm Harada had created something to do with this strange turn of events? Had she perhaps linked her own soul to the realm? Was the realm keeping her somehow alive or something like that? No, no Opast had ever managed to pull such a stunt before. It had to be a coincidence.

 

Tsukumo straightened back up. “I’m sure she’ll disappear as soon as the realm is gone,” he said in a convincing tone of voice. All three Zweilts looked expectantly around themselves, expecting to find cracks in the realm any second now but nothing happened.

 

“Why isn’t this stupid reality dissolving?” Hotsuma voiced the question that was on all of the three Zweilts’ mind.

 

“Because Harada wasn’t an Opast.”

 

Three pair of shocked eyes whirled towards Shusei whom was stepping closer to them and to the remains of Harada.

 

“She was human. Controlled by the Opast,” Shusei continued. “My cross didn’t burn her as it should have when I threw it at her. She was only taken by surprise. That’s why she faltered in her attack and screamed out. It wasn’t because the cross hurt her.”

 

“What do you mean?!” Hotsuma shot back. “She,” he pointed a finger accusingly at Harada’s remains, “kidnapped you. Attacked us. Tried to kill you. She …” Hotsuma’s tirade cut off as he slowly came to realize what Shusei meant. Harada hadn’t been an Opast. She had been human. Controlled by an Opast. Forced to do the Opast’s bidding against her own will. He had just killed …

 

A deranged laugh rose up from behind Shusei, accompanied by the sound of clasping hands. Anath stepped in sight, his hands applauding and a highly contented expression on his face. Hotsuma immediately felt like slapping it off the bastard’s face.

 

“You’ve made it all too easy, Renjou.” Anath’s smug expression settled on Hotsuma. “It couldn’t have gone any better than when I had orchestrated it … Oh wait,” an evil grin spread over Anath’s face, “I did orchestrate it all. Tell me, Renjou,” Anath walked closer to Hotsuma, almost invading Hotsuma’s personal space. “How does it feel to have killed once again an innocent? Oh yes, Harada was innocent. Just a pawn in my grand plan. A victim brought here to amuse you. And now her innocent blood clings to your hands, Renjou. But what’s one more, right, Renjou?” Anath passed Hotsuma whom seemed to be rooted to the spot, unable to react in any way. “You’ve been killing innocents ever since you were a kid. Sure, you claimed it wasn’t done intentionally and that you had only been trying to protect your brother, but the result is still the same, isn’t it? That boy died. Engulfed in your flames. Burnt to his death just like poor, innocent Harada,” Anath’s eyes narrowed angrily and the boy turned to face Hotsuma. His rage-filled eyes bore holes in the blond’s back. “And just like you tried to kill Shusei. Tried to take him away from me.”

 

Anath’s last words shocked Hotsuma out of his stupider. He whirled on the ball off his feet. “Shusei’s never been yours!” His eyes widened as all of a sudden Anath was right in front of him, the black-haired boy’s face mere inches away from his own face. Involuntarily Hotsuma took a step backwards, away from the rage that swirled in those piercing blue eyes.

 

“He was mine long before you showed up,” Anath spat. “You stole him away from me.”

 

Hotsuma’s own eyes narrowed in anger. “Liar! Shusei has always been my partner.”

 

“Oh, I am not contradicting that,” Anath replied haughty, “but this Zweilt has never belonged to his Zweilt partner.” Anath’s eyes transferred themselves from Hotsuma to Shusei before they came to rest again on Hotsuma. “I really should have made your precious Takashiro-sama vow to have kept you out of the deal, Renjou. It would have made things so much easier.” Anath’s eyes returned to Shusei’s figure, hunger in them. Shusei regarded him back unfazed. Anath wondered what he would have been able to read behind the boy’s mask had the brunet still been owner of all his memories. If Shusei had still remembered the dirty little secret the boy and Takashiro had been keeping for so long from the brunet’s Zweilt partner and that now finally was coming out in the open and would destroy everything.

 

Hotsuma frowned confused. “Takashiro? What’s he got to do with any of this?”

 

Hotsuma’s question made Anath return his attention back upon the blond and noticing the boy’s flurry, he started to laugh amused and superior. “Really? You don’t know? He sent you after me without even telling you anything? What a joke.” He barked out a final laugh before sobering up again. “Well then, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Anath Sagara, son of Phanes. Protogenus of procreation. Creator of life. Owner of souls. Bringer of Light.” Anath bowed and as he straightened back up, his true appearance shimmered through the form he currently inhabited. Before them stood a gorgeous looking male. Smooth and unspoiled skin that seemed to radiate pure light, only darkened here and there where snakes coiled around his body. Blue, piercing eyes. Long, raven-black manes that flowed freely over his back, his hair even longer now than before. Slender limbs, toned in just the right places with muscles. The Opast was naked apart from a black, snuggly-fitting pair of pants and a pair of black boots. As he smiled, pointed teeth became visible on both sides of his mouth in the corners.

 

Anath’s real form had the allure of some ancient old warrior whom had been blessed by divine beauty. A sculpture broken out of its marble prison. Perfection in all its grace and beauty. He was indeed one of the most beautiful creatures that had ever walked on this earth.  

 

Hotsuma however didn’t let himself be oppressed by the Opast’s beauty. It was an ancient fact that Opasts were gorgeous as they used their beauty to lure their victims into their claws. It wasn’t like he had expected Sagara’s true face to have been an ugly one. “I still don’t see what this has to do with us,” he spoke up unfazed.

 

“Creator of life. Owner of souls,” Tsukumo muttered to himself and then he looked at Hotsuma, his eyes wide open as realization had struck him. “Hotsuma, he is the one whom enabled us to be reborn time after time.”

 

A pleased smile appeared on Anath’s face. “Exactly. Give the boy a prize. I was the one who taught your beloved Takashiro how to bring his Zweilts, and more importantly, his precious God’s Light back.”

 

Hotsuma’s frown deepened. “I still don’t get what this has to do with Shusei or me for that matter.”

 

Anath raised an eyebrow. “Little slow on the uptake, now aren’t you boy? Did you really think I’d share the secrets of life for free with your beloved leader? Your precious Takashiro **gave** Shusei to me,” and he stressed the word ‘gave’.

 

Behind him Hotsuma could hear Toko gasp as Anath revealed this little piece of information. And although Hotsuma knew in his heart that Anath was speaking here most probably the truth cause what were they really to Takashiro, especially compared to God’s Light, he still refused to accept it. Surely Takashiro wouldn’t have gone that far …

 

“I don’t believe you,” Hotsuma shot back. “Takashiro would never …” he trailed off, uncertainty and doubt setting more and more in with each word he spoke out loud. His gaze shifted to Shusei. The brunet was regarding Anath reticent and didn’t notice how Hotsuma’s eyes were pleading desperately with him to tell the blond that Anath was lying after all. That this was just some big, cosmic joke and that Anath was just full of it. Delusional, crazy, ripe for the nuthouse. His answer however came from Anath as the black-haired Opast had no problem what so ever with driving even more stakes through Hotsuma’s heart whilst revealing the ugly truth to him.

 

Hotsuma’s golden eyes returned their attention back on Anath.

 

“Of course he would,” Anath laughed, taking a sickening pleasure in revealing Takashiro’s big secret. “All that matters to him is to have his precious Light of God by his side. Just imagine God’s Light dying and no one inheriting her talent. It’d be a disaster. Takashiro needs God’s Light to defeat us. You on the other hand are all expendable. Shusei knew and accepted this. She knew her place. Knew she didn’t matter in the greater scheme of things – well, to all of you guys that is cause to me she has always been the most important being alive. Anyway, she agreed with the deal Takashiro and I came up with all those lifetimes ago. Her for the secret of reincarnation. It’s just a shame that I didn’t read the fine print when we made the deal cause you, Renjou Hotsuma,” Anath’s eyes narrowed in contempt and his tone of voice gained an angered edge, “have been a sickening curse ever since. A thorn in my side.   Always pulling Shusei back away from me. Making her refuse to make good on the deal. Without you, I would have had Shusei way before now.”

 

A cruel smile appeared on Hotsuma’s face and for a second Anath was taken aback. Why was the blond smiling? Why wasn’t he devastated upon hearing this?

 

Hotsuma took a step forward towards Anath. “As if I’m going to let you have him now. I don’t care about your stupid deal. Shusei belongs with me and I’ll be damned to just give him up.” Hotsuma’s weapon appeared in his outstretched hand, the blond emphasizing his promise this way.   He saw out of the corner of his eye Shusei’s head wiping towards him, the brunet looking shocked at him. For a few seconds Hotsuma allowed his attention to deter from Anath to Shusei, sending his Zweilt partner and his other half a silent message. Telling the brunet they’d talk later about this – preferably when Shusei remembered him again and their love - and that he’d be sure to let Shusei have it for the brunet ever having though so little of himself as to agree with being an Opast’s sacrifice but that at the same time that it also didn’t matter cause they were in this together. Shusei had thwarted Anath obviously lifetime after lifetime and there was only one reason he could think off for this. Shusei had fought for them and so would he do now. Just having heard Anath say that Shusei had withheld him-/herself each lifetime anew had erased all doubt within him concerning Shusei’s love for him. So whatever had happened in the past – held secret from him or not – it didn’t matter. He’d stand by Shusei without doubting their love for each other. They belonged together and no Opast or stupidly made deal would change that. Ever!

 

Anath barked out a new salvo of laughter. “My dear, Renjou. I fear you are gravely mistaken, my friend. You see, I have already won. Shusei is mine. Now and in every other new life before him.”

 

Determination sparked in Hotsuma’s eyes. “We’ll just see about that,” he growled before he shot forward and attacked Anath.

 

Anath easily jumped out of the sword’s range, but Hotsuma had expected this. He immediately twisted on his feet towards the Opast’s new spot and unleashed a second attack upon him. Anath once again jumped upwards and away, but this time Hotsuma’s sword managed to cut a few strands of black hair that floated slowly to the ground.

 

Anath’s eyes narrowed. He landed a few feet out of Hotsuma’s reach. “It seems I may have underestimated you,” he spoke, holding out his hand and making a scythe appear in his outstretched hand. The silver material reflected the surroundings whilst the red rubies adorning the scythe’s handle sparkled with the candle light. The shining jewels made the scythe look as though it was craving for blood.

 

Hotsuma took a step back and readied himself for Anath’s attack. He didn’t have to wait long. The black-haired Opast came running towards him – his speed inhuman – but as Anath was right in front of him, the Opast disappeared and left Hotsuma holding his sword to intercept nothing but air.

 

Hotsuma’s golden eyes immediately lowered to ground level where he felt Anath’s energy. Anath was crouched down and readied his scythe to take a swing at Hotsuma’s kneecaps. Shots got fired and impacted right in front of Hotsuma’s feet, the attack successfully forcing Anath backwards and away from Hotsuma.

 

Toko appeared behind Anath’s retreaded spot and she swung her broad sword at him. The black-haired Opast didn’t even bat an eye. He just swung his scythe over his shoulder and blocked Toko’s attack. Immediately after he whirled around on the ball off his feet. His hand shot out towards Toko’s wrist, quick as lightning, and his fingers curled around the female Zweilt’s wrist. Long nails dug into Toko’s flesh and she started to scream out in pain as Anath heightened the pressure off his hold on her wrist. Bones were heard shattering before Anath pulled Toko towards him and then tossed her effortlessly – as if she weighted nothing more than a feather – to the other side of the cave where she crashed against the rough surface of the wall.

 

“Toko!” Tsukumo screamed, starting to rush over towards the fallen body off his sister only to have Anath appear out of nowhere in front of him. Tsukumo jumped backwards, gritting his teeth, and fired at Anath.

 

Anath intercepted all the bullets with his scythe and directed them sideways to impact into the cavern’s walls. With a bored expression Anath stepped closer to Tsukumo, driving the gray-haired boy effortlessly backwards whilst the Zweilt kept firing uselessly at him. A sudden spike of energy to Anath’s right made the Opast suddenly focus his attention to his right with a grunt.

 

Shusei was surrounded by his orbs. The brunet had been too shocked at first to partake in the battle. When Anath had started to laugh – had been so pleased with Harada’s death – he hadn’t known what to make of it. Anath’s words too … It had all sounded like it had happened to someone else, not him. Even Anath’s shifting appearance hadn’t been able to make him see Anath as his enemy. His heart had remained thumbing painfully in longing for the black-haired Opast and he had been more than prepared to just forget about all of this and to forget about the fact that Anath was in fact an Opast and one of the very beings he had been fighting against his entire life just as long as this meant that they could be together.

 

Whilst the world around him had exploded into a brutal fight, he had found it hard to still breathe. He had wanted to reach out for Anath, had wanted to push Hotsuma and the Murasame siblings away from his lover but as Anath had become a threat for Renjou, something deep within him had started to pulsate. It had twisted itself around the bond he felt with Anath and had clawed its way upward. The need to protect the blond Zweilt had started to pulsate painfully through him, had started to battle his soul-binding to Anath and had started to bring forth small cracks in his bond with Anath. The cracks growing and becoming deeper, the red lining that bound him to Anath being replaced by a cool and soothing blue light. A sensation, a touch he knew better than he knew himself. A feeling he had been desperately craving for without even having realized it.

 

It had overpowered everything - even his feelings for Anath - and without being able to explain it, his black-haired lover had disappeared to the back of his mind. All he had been able to still see, had been Hotsuma. It had been like the blond Zweilt had been burned onto his retina and he was blind now to everything else. All that still mattered was Hotsuma and Hotsuma alone.

 

Something within him had started to scream and thumb painfully for Hotsuma and it had felt like a part of him had reached out towards Hotsuma, had crossed the distance between them and had wrapped itself around the blond Zweilt. Sniffing, touching hesitantly Hotsuma and re-familiarizing itself anew with Hotsuma. His soul had started to sing out in joy and something within him had exploded. It had felt to Shusei that for the first time in a long time again he had finally been able to breathe again, to feel fresh and clean air fill his longs anew, the air filling his entire being and chasing away a fog that had been present in his mind and that had made him unable to see what really mattered. Now only one desire still pulsated through him. Protect Hotsuma Renjou. Keep the blond Zweilt alive and safe no matter the cost.

 

Determined green-golden eyes met Anath’s icy-blue ones. Not a single spark of love for the Opast was anymore present in Shusei’s eyes. Anath had become the enemy that needed to be defeated.

 

The speed with which Shusei’s orbs circled around the brunet heightened whilst the light blue, ethereal light they emitted intensified till suddenly they all left their master’s side and shot towards Anath, transforming into spears along the way.

 

Anath released a primal scream of outrage upon being attacked by Shusei. He dodge the first spear and then he started to flash in and out of existence, making his way like this towards Shusei whilst either avoiding the other spears or slapping them away with his scythe. He slashed the last spear into the wall left to him and then remained in existence, right in front of Shusei. His hand shot out and his fingers folded around Shusei’s throat. Using his grip, Anath lifted a struggling Shusei off the ground, the brunet’s feet hovering a few inches above the ground whilst the boy’s fingers clawed desperately at his hand around the boy’s throat. Anath’s eyes were narrowed in anger. Shusei had broken free of his hold. He would have to start all over again and he would. Shusei was his and he would let no one come in between him and the brunet. He would bring Shusei back to his side just like before.

 

Anath tightened his hold on Shusei’s throat and cut off the boy’s air supply. “So you are still fighting me, aren’t you, Shusei?” he spoke up whilst Shusei struggled desperately to get back air into his air-deprived lungs. “That Zweilt is still within you. But no worries. I won’t make that mistake a second time. I will get rid of him. Even if I have to cut him out of you,” he ended darkly.

 

His eyes flicked sideways as he sensed Hotsuma lunging for him. A murderous rage clouded the blond Zweilt’s face.  Anath wasn’t impressed at all. “You foolish Zweilts,” he spoke up in contempt. “You can’t win from me. I know your tricks. I know **all** of your tricks.”

 

Anath released his firm grip on Shusei’s throat and threw the boy towards Hotsuma to halt the blond’s incoming attack. Shusei collided harshly with his partner and took them both down.

 

Anath walked over towards where the two Zweilts were laying in a heap, Shusei on top of Hotsuma. He looked with uninterested eyes down upon the two Zweilts. “None of you stand a chance.”

 

From beneath Shusei, Hotsuma glared up at Anath. “We’ll just see about that,” he spat back after which he immediately called out to his partner. “Shusei, now!”

 

Hotsuma’s cry made Anath lower confused eyes to focus only on Shusei and having awaited this moment, Shusei’s closed hand came up. The hand opened and released the sand and dirt Shusei had gathered up whilst he and Hotsuma had crashed onto the ground.

 

Anath screamed out in rage and pain as he stumbled backwards. His free hand rubbed furiously at his eyes to try and get the annoying irritation there away.

 

Grabbing his chance, Hotsuma shot forward – Shusei immediately having rolled off the blond as soon as the brunet had unleashed his sneaky attack on Anath. Hotsuma’s sword swept at Anath but before the steel could make contact with the Opast’s flesh, one of the snakes - that was wrapped snuggly around Anath’s body - shot forward towards Hotsuma. Its mouth was wide open and its poisonous teeth blinked in the light that was procured by the candles in the cavern.

 

Hotsuma felt a hand enclose itself around the wrist of his free hand and he was twirled out of the snake’s attack path by Shusei. The snake shot straight over Hotsuma’s shoulder and its head exploded right after by a well-aimed bullet, courtesy of Tsukumo.

 

Sensing the death of one of their own, all the snakes around Anath’s body lifted their head and hissed furiously at the Zweilts. Three shot towards Shusei and Hotsuma while the other four targeted Tsukumo and Toko.

 

Tsukumo unleashed a salvo of shots on the incoming snakes but the creatures were too fast and ducked underneath and around the bullets. One found its end by Toko’s sword – the girl doing her best to wield her broadsword with just one hand but having obvious difficulties with this - but the other three all advanced without a problem towards the Murasame siblings.

 

The ones that had Shusei and Hotsuma as prey found themselves blocked by a shield that Shusei had called up. They crashed with their head against the barrier and hissed angrily at the two Zweilts who were hidden safely behind the shield. Getting the hint, Tsukumo also switched to defense and hid Toko and himself also behind a barrier.

 

“Now what?” Hotsuma asked, throwing a sideway glance at his partner. Shusei was staring with slightly narrowed eyes at the snakes. Before he however could answer Hotsuma, the snakes suddenly all ducked downwards and dug themselves into the ground.

 

“What the …?!” Hotsuma shot out surprised.

 

Shusei’s eyes right away started to scan their immediate surroundings. Across the cavern Toko and Tsukumo were doing the exact same thing.

 

Getting the silent hint, Hotsuma joined in and also tried to predict where the snakes would surface again. He however had no clue how to find this out. The ground all around them was smooth and no rumbling sound was heard from creatures digging through the earth and making their way towards them. But he knew it was a traitorous calm, just like the eye of a hurricane. Soon the madness would start up again.

 

“Hotsuma, three o’clock! Six degrees upwards.” Shusei’s sudden shout made Hotsuma react instinctively and without throwing Shusei a single questioning glance or voicing a surprised squeak, the blond threw a flaming attack in the direction Shusei had called out.

 

The snake had barely stuck its ugly head above the ground or it got roasted by Hotsuma’s heavenly fire. The creature released a high pitched scream before it slumped unmoving onto the ground. Right after a similar scream floated over from the Murasame siblings’ direction, signaling that they too had managed to take out already one of their current threats.

 

The ground started to shake uncontrollable around Shusei and Hotsuma’s feet. Earth shot upwards like molehills in a circular pattern around them, the circular pattern narrowing in on them. Without a single form of consultation both Shusei and Hotsuma shot upwards at the exact same time and at the precise same time that the two remaining snakes shot upwards out of the ground towards them.

 

Shusei re-situated his shield from in front of them to beneath them to halt the snakes’ advance towards them but the shield hadn’t yet appeared into existence or Anath slammed into Shusei. The Opast’s hand curled anew around Shusei’s neck, his nails digging into the tender flesh of the brunet’s neck and drawing blood there.

 

“Shusei!” Hotsuma screamed out in shock and fear. His attention however got immediately drawn back to the two snakes that were heading now for him now that Shusei’s protectoral shield was gone and Anath was taking care of the brunet. He unleashed a new, burning attack upon the snakes but the nimble creatures bent their bodies around the flames and kept approaching him unharmed.

 

The first snake opened its mouth and struck with its pointy teeth, only to snap its mouth down on Hotsuma’s sword, the blond having quickly shoved the weapon between himself and the attack. The second snake however had free reign and clamped its mouth down upon Hotsuma’s arm. The blond felt the teeth scrape his skin before the head suddenly exploded, Tsukumo and Toko running towards him and Tsukumo having taken out the second snake. The first snake found itself beheaded by Toko’s broad sword. The two parts of the snake fell to the ground, the tail giving a few final spasms before it quieted and laid still.

 

“Did it get you?” Tsukumo asked in alarm, the gray-haired boy’s hands already on Hotsuma’s wounded arm and pushing up the material of Hotsuma’s sleeves. On the blond’s arms were two red dots of where the snake’s teeth had irritated his flesh but no skin had been broken.

 

“Thank God,” Toko breathed out relieved, but Hotsuma’s mind wasn’t on himself.

 

The blond quickly shoved Tsukumo aside to go after Anath and free Shusei from the Opast’s grip, only to find himself confronted with an empty cavern. His eyes shot back in disbelief and despair. “Where are they?!” he asked, his sword clattering to the ground as both his hands gripped Tsukumo’s shoulders and he shook the slightly shorter boy harshly back and forth. “Where’s Shusei?!” Despair colored Hotsuma’s facial expression. No, no, not again. He couldn’t lose Shusei again. He saw Toko look away from him out of the corner of his eye, the girl’s facial expression already telling him the answer he didn’t want to hear.

 

“I’m sorry, Hotsuma,” Tsukumo spoke up. The boy’s right hand came upwards and came to rest on Hotsuma’s left under arm in a compassionate and comforting way. “He disappeared with Shusei whilst we were occupied with his snakes.”

 

“They were a decoy. He sacrificed them to get to Shusei,” Toko’s soft voice added, the girl’s apologetically filled eyes landing back on Hotsuma.

 

Hotsuma’s hands fell off Tsukumo’s shoulders and he stood there for a few moments unmoving – head lowered and shoulders slumped downwards - as everything sunk in. Once again he had lost his partner. Once again he had let Shusei down. Once again he had failed …

 

“Hotsuma?” Tsukumo inquired softly, his hand making contact with the blond’s left, slumped shoulder. In reaction Hotsuma’s hands fisted.

 

“That bastard,” Hotsuma mumbled through gritted teeth, before he suddenly lifted his head again, turned around on the ball off his feet and headed towards the exit of the cave. Tsukumo’s hand fell useless off Hotsuma’s shoulder, the blond not even having acknowledged that it had been there in the first place.

 

Toko ran after Hotsuma and grabbed his left shoulder more forcefully. “Wait, Hotsuma! What are you going to do?”

 

Hotsuma halted and threw Toko a grim look before he focused his attention back forwards. “He fucked up,” he said darkly. “Anath gave us the key to finding them.”

\---------------------------------------------------------

TBC


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28:

 “The more you struggle, the more painful it’ll be.” Anath looked coldly down upon Shusei’s struggling form on the bed.  He had foregone his disguise – it was no longer needed now Shusei and the other Zweilt knew the truth about him – and the snakes that were coiled around his body were slithering and hissing excitedly.  Four of them had snaked themselves around Shusei’s body.  One around each arm of the boy, the arms drawn upwards and tied to the bed’s headboard with the snakes’ bodies while their teeth had sunken into Shusei’s wrists.  The other two snakes had curled around Shusei’s legs.  The boy’s legs had been forced apart and kept in place by the snakes having wound themselves around the backboard of the bed before having returned to Shusei to sink their teeth into the burnet’s ankles.  Beats of sweat adorned Shusei’s naked skin, a result of Shusei’s struggles against his binds – his fate – and the boy trying to resist the poison the snakes were transferring into his body.

 

Two more snakes shot forward from Anath’s body towards Shusei. One bit the brunet on the boy’s collarbone, just above his burn scar, and the other sunk its teeth into the tender flesh of Shusei’s left thigh.

 

Shusei screamed agonizingly out in utter pain. His back arched into a severe curve from the pain whilst his head got thrown backwards.  The cry died down upon Shusei’s lips.  The boy’s breathing turned heavier, air getting sucked in past dry, half open lips, but no protests or cries tumbled anymore from Shusei’s lips.

 

Anath gripped Shusei’s chin harshly and lowered the brunet’s head again so he could look the boy into the eyes. He noted pleased that the brunet’s green-golden eyes were starting to look dull.  The snake’s poison was starting to do its work.  Soon Shusei would be completely paralyzed, his senses dulled and would he be able to take the boy without a single, put forth struggle.

 

Trusting his snakes to complete their task, Anath got off the bed and shed his black pair of trousers. A weak protest coming from the bed made him return his attention back upon the bound brunet.

 

“No,” Shusei whispered again, the boy’s dull eyes on him. The brunet already too far gone to put up any fight anymore but still aware enough to know what would be coming.

 

Anath returned to the bed and climbed on it, positioning himself so that he hovered over Shusei’s limp form. The snakes around the brunet’s arms, legs and the two that had attacked Shusei’s chest and thigh slithered away, their task complete and no longer needed.

 

“Don’t,” Shusei weakly protested anew.

 

Anath leant in. “I fear, angel, that you are in no position to protest.”  His lips sunk onto Shusei’s.  The kiss started out gently, loving – a mockery of shared intimacy – before Anath’s mouth opened against Shusei’s and his pointed fangs bore down on Shusei’s lower lip, drawing blood.

 

Shusei released a faint whimper but he was helpless against the onslaught. He could no longer extract control over his body.  His body was paralyzed but in such a way that he still could feel every sensation yet was unable to move a single muscle and that had to be it, his mind reasoned.  The snake’s poison had numbed his muscles but nothing more.  He was a prisoner in his own body now.  A victim to Anath’s will.

 

\------ **if you have a problem with forced intercourse, plase skip to the next break here presented with the line bars -------**

 

Anath’s mouth pried Shusei’s open and the Opast slipped his tongue inside the brunet’s moist cavern, exploring and tasting the brunet on his tongue whilst reveling in feeling his smaller lover again beneath him. His hands caressed Shusei’s sides as they moved downwards towards the boy’s hips.  He lifted Shusei’s hips and positioned the brunet’s legs over his shoulders.  Shusei’s entrance lay bared open now to him and he could feel its hold over him.  Shusei’s puckered hole was beckoning him, calling him, begging him to possess it.

 

Anath positioned himself. A new whimper slipped past Shusei’s lips as the brunet felt the hardened organ against his entrance

 

Anath’s eyes sought out the dull, green-golden ones before he suddenly slammed without a single hint of warning or any preparation into his younger lover’s body.

 

Flesh tore all around him and blood welled up around his rock hard shaft whilst Shusei screamed out in agonizing pain. But all these sensations and awarenesses disappeared as Anath stilled within Shusei’s body and used their position to sink into Shusei’s mind.

 

\------------------------ **end of skipped part for the forced sexual intercourse part** \-----------------------------

 

The world shifted around Anath and brought him to a place he knew well from all his previous visits in Shusei’s mind. Just as before he found himself standing on a frozen, desolated plain.  No end to anything in any direction.  Everything just fading into nothingness.  Above him the sky was ink-black.  Not a single star, moon, sun or any other source of light disrupted the black veil and yet the ice beneath his feet, in front of him and all around him sparkled like a sea of diamonds.  Each and every single droplet of frozen water - that had created this ice plain - was filled with its own unique light and created a vision of utter gorgeous magic. 

 

But Anath didn’t pay any attention to the beauty around him. He simply started to walk forward.  The direction he chose of no importance to him.

 

“Must we really go through this again, Shusei?” Anath spoke up to the desolated space all around him. “You can’t win.  You are mine.”

 

“I’m not her,” Shusei’s voice replied. The sound seemed to come from everywhere around Anath.

 

The black-haired Opast stopped and smiled compliant. “Do I really have to explain the concept of reincarnation to you again, Shusei?”  His eyes scanned the area around him carefully.  “You are her as much as she is you.”

 

“No,” Shusei’s firm voice sounded. “She is a part of me but I am not her.  Not anymore.  I have changed.”

 

“It doesn’t matter.” Anath’s eyes still held a vigilant watch on his surroundings.  “No matter who you are today, you are still mine.”  An amused smile appeared around Anath’s mouth.  “Tell me, Shusei.  Is that why you decided to become a male this time around?  To escape me?”

 

The silence that stretched on as an answer only made Anath’s smile broaden. “You could have saved yourself the trouble.  Hasn’t that traitor told you?  Gender doesn’t matter to us Opasts.  Or was it due to **him** that you made your decision?”

 

Anath caught a small, sudden flicker in the icy plain to his right. It had been so small and brief that he would have missed it had he not been on the look-out for it.  He rushed forward to the spot that had been revealed to him and halted right in front of it, a pleased smile on his face.  “Renjou always was your undoing,” he said before he stepped forward and placed himself on the disclosed spot in the ice.

 

An icy wind rose up and whirled all around Anath. It put the Opast in a column of blown around ice chunks before the ice beneath his feet liquefied and he slowly started to sink into the icy pool beneath his feet.

 

Anath calmly awaited as he kept sinking lower and disappearing more into the icy pool. Eventually the ice closed itself again above his head and Anath found himself one level deeper into Shusei’s mind.  A deserted plain stretched out all around him just like before only this time the sky was made of ice instead of blackness and the ground didn’t exist out of ice but out of a magnitude of shattered pieces of glass that existed out of an entire palette of colors in all kinds of tones.  Each shard held a tiny fragment that belonged to one of Shusei’s memories.  His memories of his past lives and of his current one.

 

Anath diverted his eyes to the ground and a wave of discontentment warped his face into a darkened mask. He crouched down and let his fingers trace the edge of various glass shards.  The shards were mending.  Coming back together.  Melting back into a whole.  Restoring Shusei’s memories.

 

Anath stretched again to his full height. He let his ice-blue eyes travel the expanse of the field and encountered everywhere the same story.  All of the brunet’s memories that he had broken up and scattered around to make them be lost to the boy, had rekindled and were gluing back together.  Soon Shusei would remember everything again.

 

“Why do you have to keep fighting me, Shusei? You know what will come next,” Anath warned.  He brought both his hands up and unleashed his power.  A strong, tempestuous wind started from Anath’s form and dispersed itself over the entire expanse of Shusei’s mind.  It raced through the field of shards, tore them back apart and scattered them miles away from each other.

 

A scream of pain echoed through the space, Shusei screaming it out as his mind got shredded to pieces.

 

“You only have yourself to blame, Shusei,” Anath spoke up, not sounding the least bit apologetic. “Stop fighting me.  Stop trying to return to him and all of this won’t be necessary anymore.”

 

An image started to flicker in and out of existence up ahead of Anath. It focused and unfocused a few times before it became steady and revealed Shusei.  Anath walked up to the image.  The brunet was looking deadly pale.  Dark circles colored the flesh underneath green-golden lifeless eyes.  Skin was pulled tight over bones that were sticking out.  The brunet’s clothes hung like useless rags around his body, all of them looking as if they had been bought various sizes too big.  The boy just looked as if he would keel over any second.

 

Anath stopped right in front of the brunet. “How much longer do you think you’ll be able to keep this up, Shusei?  Just look at you.  You’re at your limit.  Stop this nonsense and comply.  I will take good care of you.  You won’t be lacking anything.”  He reached out and caressed with the back of his hand Shusei’s left cheek in a loving manner.  “Just give in, lover.”

 

Anath caressed Shusei’s cheek a few more times, the Opast obviously awaiting something but nothing happened. Shusei didn’t react in a single way to him.  Anath could as might as well have been stroking the cheek of a marble statue.  Shusei’s skin remained as cold as stone and unyielding under his touch whilst the brunet remained unresponsive in every single way.

 

Anath’s eyes darkened in anger. “Still fighting me, aren’t we, Shusei?” he spat out in disgust.  “Very well.  Then you leave me no other choice.  If you won’t comply,” Anath turned away from Shusei’s image and regarded the outstretched plain of shattered glass in front of him, “then I’ll just destroy your mind.”  His hands rose anew but this time, when he released his power, a true cyclone got unleashed and shot out over the field.  All the shards got sucked upwards, thrown around and cut into even smaller pieces, the pieces this time so small that when they rained down in a curtain of silver glass, they had become too small to matter still.

 

Dreadful, pained screams tore through the expanse of Shusei’s mind as Shusei felt his mind being assaulted by a bone-numbing, blackening and sickening pain. Everything shattered.  He felt himself splinter into every direction.  His being turned into so many tiny shards that not a single mattered anymore.  All was gone.  Lost.

 

Blackness appeared everywhere and closed in on Shusei. It overpowered him and pulled him under before it closed itself again above his head, smothered his cries and made him tumble into an abyss from which there was no escape.  Slowly he drifted farther and farther away from himself until in the end he was swallowed up completely by the darkness and there was nothing left of him.

 

Satisfied Anath pulled back out of Shusei’s mind.   Around him the world shifted slowly back into existence, revealing to him once again the brunet boy beneath him.  Sweat sparkled on the boy’s naked skin.  A physical sign of the resistance Shusei had put up against him once again within the boy’s mind.  His eyelashes lay silently against his skin, not a single activity present anymore behind the closed eyelids.  His limbs lay limp on the white sheets, not needing the snakes ‘poison any longer to keep him in place.  The boy before him was gone and all that was left was an empty shell.  A doll.  Not a single sign left that the boy was still residing within the body.

 

Anath reached out and brushed the brown bangs away that covered Shusei’s sweat soaked brow. He met no resistance at all anymore.  Finally the boy was truly his to do with as pleased.  Just as the Zweilt had always been meant to be.  It was just a shame that he had to have to sacrifice Shusei’s spirit to get him.

 

Anath pulled back out of Shusei’s body. Semen and blood trickled out of the brunet’s entrance, Anath’s body having completed their coupling whilst his mind had been within Shusei’s.

 

The black-haired Opast picked up his pair of trousers and adorned them anew. He fastened them again and then let his eyes travel back over the silent body on the bed.  Ever since Shusei’s partner had showed up in this created reality, he had been forced to go more into Shusei’s mind to apply and strengthen anew the false memories he had planted within the brunet’s mind and that he had used to overwrite Shusei’s true memories with Renjou.  Even before Renjou had showed up here had he been forced to repeat the process at a regular base, the blond partner of Shusei somehow having had a way to cross the realms mentally and get to Shusei to bring back the brunet’s real memories to the surface.  But now that problem had finally been dealt with.  He should have saved him the trouble and should have just destroyed Shusei’s mind from the start.  It would have saved him a lot of trouble and energy.  But no, he had wanted to possess the brunet completely.  The Zweilt’s beauty and spirit.  But he guessed that in the end even he wasn’t able to own all and if that was impossible, then he would settle for the Zweilt’s body and bind him to him until the Zweilt’s next life where he would own Shusei from the start.

\----------------------------------------

Toko and Tsukumo followed Hotsuma as the blond led them through various streets towards where the blond claimed Shusei to be. As soon as they had excited the Haunted House – no surprises had been laying in wait for them there anymore.  It had just been completely abandoned as if Anath’s departure from the Haunted Mansion had taken the Haunted House’s soul with and had returned the place to its original, unthreatening form – Hotsuma had paused, closed his eyes for a few moments and almost immediately started forward anew, professing he knew where Shusei was.  Toko and Tsukumo had been following the blond for a few minutes already but it was clear to both of them that they both had their doubts about Hotsuma’s sudden Shusei sense.  When they shared another doubtful look with each other, Toko finally had enough of it and voiced what was on both of their mind.

 

“Are you sure you can sense Shusei, Hotsuma?” she asked carefully.

 

“Perhaps it is just your strong desire to find Shusei that you are feeling and that is leading you astray, making you think it is Shusei you sense whilst in fact you are just leading us around in circles,” Tsukumo added.

 

The blond paused and turned to face them. He had a scowl on his face.  “Have we been going around in circles so far?” he asked bad-tempered.

 

“Well, no,” Toko started to reply, “but you weren’t able to sense Shusei before remember. When Anath lied and had told us that he could sense Shusei.”

 

Hotsuma blew out his breath. “I know, okay.  But he is there now.”  His hand came to lie over his heart and his fingers contracted slightly.  “I also can’t explain it, but for some reason I can feel him calling me now.  I don’t know what happened but when that bastard showed his true face to us, something shifted.  I know it sounds unbelievable but it felt like Shusei connected again with me there.  Like we got linked again.”  Hotsuma released another breath and looked away from the siblings.  “I don’t know,” he continued, staring off into the distance.  “Perhaps Shusei knew what was coming and that we would need a way to find him and did he create a tracking link or so between us for that purpose.”

 

He paused for a moment, remembering all the times Shusei had found him before, the brunet claiming he had heard Hotsuma call out for him and Shusei’s strong feelings for Hotsuma having guided him to Hotsuma’s hiding spot, even if it should have been an impossible to discover hiding spot. Perhaps that link had been there indeed all the time between them and had he just been unable to access it.  Perhaps all Shusei had done was open his eyes to their shared link.

 

Hotsuma raked his hand through his hair. All this was giving him a blasting headache.  Where was Shusei to explain things to him when he needed him?  Shusei would have been able to explain all of this to him and make it sound as easy as one plus one equals two.  That bastard of an Opast had a lot to answer for.

 

“Shusei always managed to find me too like this,” He continued out loud, startled slightly as he hadn’t been planning this confession, but somehow it felt right to share and so he went on. “He’d hear me in his heart and it guided him to where I was, even towards my best hiding spots.”

 

Toko and Tsukumo looked at each other. They had heard before about this supposedly connection Zweilts shared, but had never experienced it themselves yet.  It was said that as long as a Zweilt’s feelings were strong enough for his partner, he’d be able to find said partner no matter what.  They however had never been able to locate each other using such a bond.  Their link existed out of their shared Ears of God talent, but perhaps this was some kind of variation of what Hotsuma was talking about here, but if so …

 

“Are you sure Shusei didn’t always manage to track you down by using his Eyes of God?” Tsukumo voiced the thought that was on both of their minds.

 

“No.” Hotsuma glanced over his shoulder back at the siblings. A strong belief burned in his golden orbs.  There was no doubt that Hotsuma had a strong belief in this mythical spoken off bond.  “I once asked him, believing the same thing, but he told me it had nothing to do with his God’s talent but all with us being partners.  Because of that we are more in synch with each other than normal people with each other and when we feel strongly enough for the other, we can use that synchronization bond to feel and find each other even if we are separated from each other.  Apparently it is a skill Zweilts relied on in the past but over time it has gone lost …”

 

“Except to Shusei …” Toko added silently, her eyes regarding Hotsuma with an emotion the blond couldn’t place but didn’t have to as he knew in his heart what it was Toko was conveying to him without words. Shusei’s love and devotion to him.  The brunet having gone way past their normal Zweilt duties, responsibilities and skills for him.  The brunet once again having left them behind when it came to what it meant to have a Zweilt partner and showing them the true meaning of being partners.

 

They all fell silent, each lost for a few moments in their own thoughts.

 

“Yeah, anyway.” Hotsuma’s sudden rude words shocked them all back to the present.  The blond’s cheeks were colored slightly red and he scratched the back of his head embarrassed.  “Let’s just go.  We won’t find him standing around here and arguing.”  Without awaiting the sibling’s consent, Hotsuma took the lead anew, hoping in his heart that he was right and that he wasn’t on some wild goose chase. 

\---------------------------------------------------------

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: If you want, take a glance back at previous chapters. For instance chapter 16. In chapter 16 we see Shusei wake up with a headache. Anyone want to guess now where that came from? Yep, Anath rummaging in Shusei's mind to clear away the hints of Hotsuma in the brown haired boy's mind that were springing back into existence. And it isn't the first time. Remember Shusei playing suddenly piano anew and angering Anath? Anath there too entered Shusei's mind cause he realized Hotsuma was slowly pulling Shusei back to the blond. That is also why Hotsuma felt the conflicting signals from Shusei. One moment Shusei on the verge of remembering him and the next time he sees Shusei anew, Shusei acts back cold as Hotsuma is erased back from his mind then ... But to Hotsuma's luck, not always for long ...


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29:

“You guys ready?” Hotsuma looked over his shoulder at the Murasame siblings.  His hand lay upon the light brown wooden door that closed off the apartment the three Zweilts had been led to.  The flat to which Shusei had been brought to by Anath.  Even the outside of the building hadn’t masked Anath’s presence.  Dark, stormy clouds were packed together above the building, lightning crackling through the darkness whilst black crows circled above the building, screaming loudly as they rode the strong gusts of wind.

 

Toko and Tsukumo both nodded. Determination shone brightly in their eyes.  No matter what Anath would have in store for them, this would be the final show down.  They would take Sagara out here and now and get Shusei back.

 

Hotsuma’s golden eyes returned to the wooden barrier in front of him and he gave a light push against the door. To all of their surprise the door opened without a single problem.  It was clear.  They had been expected.  On their guard they entered the apartment and immediately froze as the view before them was surreal.

 

Instead of finding themselves in a common room of a flat, they were standing on a large platform. The ceiling was gone - the dark clouds and crows visible to them – and the walls were mere shadows of themselves apart from the one behind them that held the door and shielded the safety of the building’s hall they had just vacated.  The further away from them, the more stones both sidewalls were missing until none were left where the two sidewalls would have connected with the opposite wall that was completely missing.  At the opposite side of them was no boundary that would protect them from falling of the platform.  There was just a deep abyss that led to nothing but darkness.  Their eyes however got drawn to the middle of the platform where a small raised podium stood.  Four stony steps led up to the podium and brought you to the four poster bed on which Shusei lay.  The brunet was naked.  A crumpled white sheet was loosely wound around his lower body.  His eyes were closed, the boy asleep or unconscious, Hotsuma wasn’t too sure, but at least his partner was still breathing as the slow rise and fall of Shusei’s chest proved.  Hotsuma’s eyes raked over Shusei’s still form and halted at his partner’s lower body.  The white sheets were spotted red. 

 

Hotsuma felt as if his world came crashing down. Yes, he knew Shusei had intercourse with Anath but now that it was clear that Anath was their Opast, that thought was just even more unbearable.

 

“So you managed to find this place.” Anath’s smug voice sounded above the crow’s cries and the howling wind.  He stepped out from behind one of the four pillars that stood in each corner of the podium. He had foregone his disguise and was showing them his true self.  “I’m impressed, Renjou.”

 

“Give Shusei back!” Hotsuma bellowed, his sword appearing at the same time and a flame shooting off the metal towards the ground.

 

“My, my, what a temper,” Anath replied mockingly, not showing a single sign of indulging Hotsuma’s request the slightest. He walked over to the bed on the podium and reached out for the sleeping brunet upon the bed.

 

“Don’t you dare touch him!” Hotsuma bellowed. He shot forward and crashed into a force field that was erected around the podium.  The high voltage of the shield ran through his body and made him scream out in pain before the force field catapulted him backwards.  Toko and Tsukumo yelled out his name and appeared beside him right after.

 

“Are you okay?” Tsukumo asked from Hotsuma’s left, the young Zweilt having placed his left hand on Hotsuma’s shoulder whilst his other hand supported the blond’s back as Hotsuma scrambled back upright to a sitting position. The blond gritted his teeth against the pain he still felt coursing though his body.

 

“Oh yes,” Anath regarded uninterested down upon Hotsuma’s fallen form from where he was standing beside Shusei, “I should warn you to be careful where you step. You never know what you may run into. ”

 

“Bastard,” Hotsuma spat in Anath’s direction. With the help of Tsukumo he got back to his feet whilst Toko had placed herself protectively in front of the two boys.  Her broadsword was held ready to intercept whatever attack Anath may throw at them.

 

“You know,” Anath continued, “it’s a miracle the Demon King still hasn’t wiped all of you Zweilt off the face of the planet. You are all so easy.”  Anath forewent Shusei and slowly descended the four step stairs.  He walked through the erected force field without a single problem and came to a halt just before the force field.  Behind Anath it crackled and shot black purple currents through its surface.

 

“Guess I will just have to show him the way how …” Anath held both his hands out, his arms slightly bend backwards and his hands pointing to the ground.  A light started to shimmer at the Opast’s palms and then two long swords appeared, one in each hand.  The material looked of the finest silver, the swords appearing as if they would break at the littlest contact, but Toko, Tsukumo and Hotsuma knew better.  They knew to look past first impressions.  Shusei’s swords never looked that much either but they had brought down many demons already without a single scratch on them.

 

Anath placed himself into a fighting position. “Ready?” he smirked.

 

Tsukumo let his own weapon appear whilst Hotsuma made sure to get back a good grip on his own Masterstroke.

 

Without a single further warning, Anath set off towards them.

 

Toko swung her sword at him, but he was too fast and had already bypassed her before she had even been able to start her attack.

 

The hilt of Anath’s sword connected with Toko’s back and sent the girl flying forward. His other sword in the mean time intercepted all the bullets Tsukumo was firing at him.

 

The onslaught of bullets stopped and Hotsuma appeared right in front of Anath. The blond slashed horizontal at Anath, but the Opast was no longer there and the blond Zweilt only cut air.

 

The Opast in the mean time appeared right in front of Tsukumo. A wicked smile tugged the corners of his lips up before he elbowed the grey-haired Zweilt right in the face.

 

Tsukumo stumbled backwards, his nose a bloody mess, but the young Zweilt didn’t let this deter him and he immediately fired anew upon Anath. His shots however missed precision now as his sight was slightly blurry due to the reflective tears that had sprung in his eyes.

 

Anath deflected the bullets anew that posed a danger to them, letting the others just fly by him and impact somewhere behind him. His leg shot out and he rammed his foot into Tsukumo’s stomach.  The young Zweilt folded almost double due to the force Anath had put behind the blow before Tsukumo helplessly flew backwards and crashed into the wall, right beside the wooden door they had used just mere minutes ago to gain entrance to this place.

 

Anath didn’t take the time to admire his handiwork but whirled around, just in time to intercept Hotsuma’s next attack with his two swords. The blond’s sword came down upon Anath’s crossed ones.  The Opast pushed his blades upwards, pushing Hotsuma’s sword upwards too in the process and making the blond take a stumbling step backwards due to this action.  Right after one of Anath’s swords disappeared and the black-haired Opast grabbed a fistful of Hotsuma’s hair.  He used this grip to whirl Hotsuma half a circle and then launched the blond Zweilt head first into the wall.  Plaster cracked and rained down upon Hotsuma. 

 

Behind Anath, Toko launched herself at the Opast with a cry. She knew it was stupid to announce her attack – it was destined to fail now – but all that mattered for now was to divert Anath’s attention away from Hotsuma and Tsukumo whilst the two boys recollected themselves.

 

Toko’s sword came down and for a split second Toko foolishly believed that perhaps she would be able to do it after all as Anath still hadn’t turned towards her or undertaken any action to halt her assault. But right before her broadsword could contact with the Opast’s shoulder, Hotsuma’s current limp body got slung backwards towards her.  The blond Zweilt slammed into her and they both flew backwards, Toko slamming into the force field with her back.  The current crackled against her and ran through her body and made her scream out in pain as she felt like she was being burned from the inside out.  Black spots appeared in her line of vision but right before she lost complete consciousness, the force field released its hold on her and she slumped forward to the ground, landing on top of a dazed Hotsuma.

 

Black boots appeared beside them, their owner putting one of the tips of his boots under Toko’s paralyzed body after which he kicked her off Hotsuma. Toko rolled a few times over before she came to a halt, unable to move her limbs and being forced to watch in horror as Anath crouched down beside Hotsuma and lifted the Zweilt’s head off the ground by grabbing a fistful of blond locks and yanking Hotsuma’s head upwards.  Anath brought his face right in front of Hotsuma’s.  “You humans are such fragile creatures,” the Opast spoke disgusted.   “How you ever get anything done is beyond me.  Zweilts, the legendary guardians of God’s Light … In truth you don’t really amount to much, now do you?  It is a miracle that there are still left of your kind and that this war hasn’t yet already been concluded a long time ago.”

 

Anath yanked Hotsuma’s body completely off the ground. The blond Zweilt hung limply in the air, his feet dangling a few inches above the ground, his weapon laying forgotten on the ground.  “I’ll never understand what she saw in you to begin with.  Such a low and pathetic creature you are.”  Anath’s crystal clear blue eyes shifted for a second towards Shusei’s unconscious body on the bed before they came to rest anew on his trapped victim.  “You never were any good for her.”

 

“Shut up,” Hotsuma mumbled, blood dripping from his chin that ran over his face in small rivlets from the wound on his temple that he had sustained when Anath had banged his head against the wall.

 

A cruel smile appeared on the Opast’s face. “What’s the matter, Renjou?  Did I hit a sore spot?  How many times did she cry solely by your fault?  How many times did the life disappear out of her eyes because you sucked her dry?”  Anath’s voice grew harsher as more words spilled out of his mouth and a stupid rational part of Hotsuma’s brain told him that Anath truly seemed to be in love with Shusei.  That all of this wasn’t just some sick kind of game for the Opast but that the demon truly believed in what he was fighting for here.   This creature in front of him truly loved Shusei …

 

“But I’ll keep him safe. I won’t let you hurt him any longer.  I will remove you out of Shusei’s life.  Remove that which causes his pain and suffering.  I will cut you out of him and out of this world.”  Anath threw Hotsuma away from him and it seemed as time suddenly slowed down. 

 

Hotsuma felt himself flying through the air. In front of him Anath bringing his remaining sword ready to deliver the final blow to him, the sword’s tip bypassing Anath’s form and closing gradually in on him as the Opast came closer too, the demon using his momentum to put more force behind his final assault.  Time stopped and whirled around him and Anath, the whirlpool holding images and scenes from his life with Shusei.

 

_The galaxy. A flash.  Earth.  Shusei’s face appearing transparent in front of the earth, her long brown hair flowing gently in a breeze._  

 

_The sky. Clouds.  A sunrise.  Shusei, the first time he saw her, dancing on her own in a fountain, her arms held up to the starry sky and the moon, barren feet and a simple white dress, her shoulders barren safe from the white straps of the dress and her long brown hair hanging lose and over her shoulders.  Him staring in wonder and enraptured at her from a balcony above._

 

_A snow covered field. Red snow.  Shusei’s limp form, a horrible gash on her side, blood seeping out from the wound and pooling together under her, her eyes closed and a thin line of blood on her cheek that flows from out of her mouth.  Him falling on his knees beside her, shaking hands and arms cradling the broken figure to him, tears streaming down his face._  

 

_Shusei standing in the rain, her figure drenched from the pouring water, her face from her tears. Him reaching out to her, but his arm dropping anew, unsure whether he has the right to touch her still, to be the one to comfort her._

 

_Shusei as a young girl, five or six years old, laughing, a sound so clear as crystal, a joy brighter than any sun. Him gazing at her from underneath a baseball cap, his eyes hidden from the world, jealousy having overtaken him as Shusei’s joy comes from being swept up in her father’s arms, Shusei receiving a love he can only crave for with his own parents._

_Shusei, seven or eight years old, laying on the carpet with all kinds of books displayed in front of her, the books all open on various pages. Him laying beside her and listening to her as she talks and points to various images in the books._

 

_Shusei’s parents crying and hugging her after which they push her into a hidden storage in their house. He getting pushed in the hidden room with her, Shusei’s father the last thing he sees as the man closes the opening again, the man’s eyes begging him silently to take over for him now and protect his little girl from here on out._

_Snow falling. Shusei, still seven or eight years old, crying, running, stumbling and falling time after time in the high snow piles only to clamber back to her feet and continue her desperate run.  Him running after her, finally managing to grab her arm and pulling her against him, her tears darkening the fabric of his coat._

_Shusei, sixteen years old, her eyes widening in shock as lips get pressed upon hers. Him, spur of the moment, acting rush, smashing his lips clumsily on Shusei’s, their first kiss that lifetime._

_Two hands intertwined, their owners sitting on the grass and staring up at the stars above them._

_Rumbled sheets, pooled around two naked bodies, bodies intertwined, sweat shining on skin in the pale moonlight, feminine hands snaking upwards and folding together behind his neck, pulling him even closer to her, a soul searching, too long having been denied joining._

_Him, madness deforming his facial features gruesomely, destroying the bedroom, smashing everything to pieces, throwing things against the walls, Tsukumo and Toko standing in the doorway, watching helplessly and sorrowfully at him._

_Shusei standing at the window, nighttime, dressed for bed. Him appearing behind her, his body wrapped up in a brown blanket, opening the blanket and drawing Shusei close to him and into the warm cocoon of the blanket._

_Shusei laying in a coffin, pale, still, still beautiful. Him touching her face with his hand, leaving bloody stripes on her face as his hand slides over her cheek, his shoulders starting to shake, tears falling on Shusei’s chest._

_Him, ten years old, running away from home, tears running down his face, reaching out desperately for the familiar figure he sees up ahead in the moonlight._

 

_Shusei sitting on the floor of the bedroom, a blanket held closely around her, her other hand reaching for the stars she sees through the open window, her eyes growing wide as her power kicks in and shows her horrors she can’t handle._

_Him carrying Shusei’s unconscious figure to the bed, cradling her form to him, holding her as if she is the most precious thing in the world, lowering her to the bed, tucking her in, crouching down beside the bed and letting his shoulder slump in defeat as he buries his face in his hands._

 

_Him covered in blood, sword in his hand, the world around him painted red and on fire, surprise on his face as he twirls around and sees the blade slashing at him.  Shusei’s body appearing between him and the sword, blood splaying up as the sword cuts flesh, Shusei falling limply backwards in his arms, a scream of horror on his face, a grateful smile on Shusei’s for having been able to save him._

_Him sitting on the ground, cradling her dying form. Shusei’s bloody hand reaching up, cradling his cheek, she smiling gently up at him, telling him it will be okay, that they will meet again._

_A mass of people, him standing on the sidewalk, six years old, feeling a pull, turning slowly around and seeing him, the mass of people turning to a blur, only Shusei remaining crystal clear, a boy now but still her, he knows, a boy this time around but it is her._

_Colorful bubbles taking flight, shining like rainbows in the sunlight, two boys laughing, six and seven year old, blowing the bubbles, running after them, trying to catch them._

_Him, almost a teenager, running at night, ending at Shusei’s doorstep, falling into Shusei’s comforting warmth and love, asking the other boy if he still really exists._

 

_Him, a teenager now, eyes wide from shock, betrayed, his mother calling him a monster, his received love from his parents a lie, him feeling as if he is falling from a skyscraper, no salvation possible._

_Heat, flames, a sea of fire all around him but suddenly he feels him, that familiar warmth he would recognize everywhere, arms wrapping strongly around his own body, a vice-grip, refusal to let go, a desperate, pain-filled voice calling him back, pleading with him, Shusei upholding the final promise of their century partnership, “where-ever you go, my partner, I will follow.”._

_Him sitting at a hospital bed, guilt overwhelming him, rooting him to the spot, making it unable for him to look at Shusei whom lies in the bed, unconscious, bandages wrapped around the older boy’s torso, even unconscious pain etched on the brunet’s face._

_Him standing in the rain, looking upward, promising the sky he’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to Shusei, an umbrella appearing suddenly in his line of sight, a weak and shaky Shusei having come and find him when the boy should have stayed in bed, still not yet completely recovered._

_Him getting in a brawl, letting the other guys pummel him to a heap, not only cause he fears to unleash his God’s voice otherwise but also cause he needs this pain, needs to feel being punished for all the suffering and death he has caused so far. Shusei greeting him as he steps inside the Twilight Mansion, a knowing glance in green-golden eyes, a flash of pain, eyes being diverted away from him, guilt overflowing him anew._

_Him unleashing all of his penned up guilt and frustration during a fight with demons, the world around him being set in a blaze, yet it still ain’t enough.  Shusei slamming through the heat, holding him back, making him come back to himself before he burns up._

_Him staring at his hands, feeling like he has failed, cursing himself, cursing his power, asking for someone – anyone – to help him understand this monster he is._

 

_Yuki running after him, grabbing his arm, refusing to let go, showing him he can handle his voice of God power, his prayer – his plea – finally heard, tears of relief obscuring his vision of the angel sitting in front of him who bestowed his kindness on him. A pang of sadness somewhere clouded in his heart, him not understanding then but feeling Shusei’s pain at having failed him._

_Tsukumo’s voice, the gray-haired boy telling him Shusei is gone, has disappeared without a trace. Him running away from them, out into the rain, wanting desperately things back to how they were, wanting Shusei back._

_Shusei hanging limply from a cross, thorny veins holding the boy’s delicate wrists and body captured, wounds decorating the older Zweilt’s body._

_Him calling out for Shusei, putting so much painful desire behind his plea his power transforms into something else, becomes a God’s gift instead of a curse, brings him back Shusei from the death._

_Their first shared kiss in this lifetime. Surprise, clumsiness but oh so longed for, so familiar, so right._

_A hesitant touch on naked skin, a fire that erupts, engulfs them, makes them lose themselves to their passion._

_Knowing smiles and veiled remarks in the morning at the breakfast table by the others. Him getting angry, unable to deal with the teasing in some other way, Shusei being the mature one and ignoring all the good hearted teasing and simply quietly sipping his coffee but one hand coming to rest on Hotsuma’s knee reassuringly.  It is them together against the rest of the world._

_Their partnership stronger as ever. A new awareness.  Two hearts beating as one.  Two souls being one.  An unstoppable team in battle.  A strength to take note off._

_Shusei being ripped away from his side, a cold darkness seeping into his soul, a cold numbing his bones, unable to be chased away, continuously present._

_Finding Shusei again. Joy, warmth but overshadowed by the other not remembering him anymore._

_A new promise made, a refusal to give up, he will make Shusei remember him again and bring the brunet back to his side._

The tip of the sword was nearly at Hotsuma’s skin. A cruel, pleased, victorious smile was edged on Anath’s face.  A shock of horror on Hotsuma’s.  The blond Zweilt closed his eyes, part of him giving up and accepting his defeat whilst calling out a final desperate time to Shusei.  Another part yelling at him, telling him to keep fighting, to look for a way out, not to surrender, not to let Shusei down, not to let Shusei behind in the arms of this cruel monster.

 

The clang of two swords made Hotsuma snap his eyes back open in surprise and confusement. Before him Anath’s sword had been stopped by another sword that had intercepted the deadly blow and was holding it off from Hotsuma.

 

Hotsuma’s mouth slowly opened in shock. That sword.  He knew that sword.  It was …

 

His golden eyes shot sideways to the owner of the sword but the man didn’t pay him any attention. His silver eyes were transfixed on Anath.  The calm expression he normally wore on his face slightly deformed into a snarl.

 

Luka. Luka was here.  Luka had saved him.  But how?  The Opast had stayed behind in their own universe.  The demon shouldn’t be here.  Small lines of confusion marred Hotsuma’s forehead as his eyes travelled from Luka over the battlefield.  Behind Anath was a familiar figure crouched beside Toko’s down form.  A green, healing light emitted from the familiar boy’s hands that were held above Toko’s body.

 

Yuki. Yuki was here too.  For some unknown reason Luka and Yuki were here when they shouldn’t have been but boy was he glad to see the younger boy and his protector.

 

Anath jumped away from Hotsuma and Luka, Luka taking the created space to step forward and place himself more in front of Hotsuma.

 

“Zess,” Anath said in greeting. His voice sounded happy to see the other Opast there but beneath the cheerful tone lay a clear hint of annoyance.  Luka didn’t even bother to return the politeness.  He just stared back at Anath uninterested, as if Anath wasn’t worth his time.  Just an opponent to beat and send back to where he came from without having to waste any more time or words on than needed.

 

“The Crosszeria clan always did have annoying brats among their rangs,” Anath continued. “Strong, skillful, yes, but annoying all the same and not worth the hassles they cause.  If I would have had my way, the Crosszeria clan would have been extinct long ago, but the Demon King felt you lot would be useful.  I wonder if he still feels the same after you betrayed him for that woman.”

 

Despite the taunting Luka remained unaffected. He refused to let himself be goaded and Hotsuma couldn’t help but be feel jealous anew of that skill Luka possessed.  The Opast always had been capable of not letting his emotions get the better of him during a battle whilst he himself was more like a lose canon at times, erupting and being set off at the slightest provocation.  Shusei had once said that this was cause he wore his emotions on his sleeve and that the brunet didn’t want Hotsuma any other way, but the blond knew damn well that Shusei would benefit enormously if he would think now and then before he acted, especially in battle.

 

“Renjou,” Luka spoke up. “Get Usui out of here.”

 

Hotsuma scowled. He had always hated it when the Opast told him what to do as if he himself wasn’t able to think of it.  “Gladly,” he sarcastically replied, feeling for once victorious over the demon as he knew more than Luka for once.  “But there is this small problem of an erected shield around him and I doubt Shusei will be helped if I get burned all crispy and dark.”

 

Luka’s eyes glanced sideways for a few seconds, seeming to study the air around Shusei, and then returned his attention back in front of him and on Anath. “Yuki can handle the shield.”

 

Upon hearing Yuki’s name, Anath’s eyes got drawn to the blond-haired healer whom was currently working on Tsukumo, Toko standing in front of the two boys on guard. Something dangerous flashed in his eyes and before anyone could shout out a warning, two purple energy balls shot out of Anath’s right hand towards the siblings and Yuki.

 

Hotsuma shouted out. “Yuki!  Toko!”

 

A shadow flashed into existence in front of Toko. At the same time the air in front of the girl started to shimmer and showed a shield that had been erected by the shadowy figure whom turned clear in a second and revealed Luka.  The Opast’s hand was raised and held horizontal in front of him to maintain the shield but as soon as the energy blasts had impacted on the shield, the demon’s hand lowered and his sword appeared anew in his hand.  

 

Anath however didn’t go for Yuki, Luka or the Murasame siblings. He had merely attacked God’s Light to create a diversion and during the succeeded distraction he shot towards Shusei.  The only problem left to deal with was Shusei’s partner whom he could see coming towards him from the corner of his eye, the blond Zweilt intent on stopping him.  Anath smirked.  Renjou would never be able to reach him in time.  He’d be past the shield before Shusei’s partner would be able to lay a finger on him and then the blond would be locked outside just as Zess and the others.  And even if that blasted reincarnated woman would be capable of breaking his shield, it would take time.  And during that time he would open up a portal and escape through it with his prize whilst making sure that this time around Renjou won’t be able to find Shusei anymore.  Shusei was and would remain his.

 

The threshold of the shield came in reach but before he could cross over it, a lithe shadow landed on four paws between him and the shield and forced him backwards.

 

Anath stared in anger at the large, black wolf that was standing in front of him. The wolf’s lips were pulled upwards, revealing its sharp teeth as it snarled and growled at Anath.  A red ruby adorned its forehead and the animal’s neck hair stood upright.  The wolf was slightly bend through its front paws, having taken on a position to fight, its yellow eyes trained on Anath.

 

“Sodom!” Luka called out.  “Prevent him from entering that barrier!”

 

Sodom howled in acknowledgement that he had understood his master’s order.

 

Anath snarled offended. “You think a puny dog will stop me?!”  He shot forward towards Sodom, intent on slamming the creature out of his path, but a voice coming from his side distracted him and drew his vision sideways.

 

“Maybe he won’t, but I sure as hell will.” Hotsuma was coming towards Anath from the Opast’s left side.  His sword was held in an angel behind his back.  With a cry for the Opast to burn, Hotsuma brought the sword upward and over his shoulder.  Flames danced around the steel of the sword and a large flame shot off the sword towards Anath.

 

Anath snarled and jumped out of the attack’s path. Hotsuma immediately switched his angle and followed the black-haired Opast.  He brought his sword backwards for a second attack on Anath but one of the snakes curling around Anath’s left arm shot away from its master’s body and dove for Hotsuma.

 

The blond Zweilt only narrowly managed to avoid the snake’s attack, but whilst he still stumbled for his balance, the snake turned around and dove a second time for Hotsuma. Hotsuma’s eyes widened.  He saw the creature close the distance between them out of the corner of his eye but then suddenly there was a silver line of light and the snake’s head got cut off by Luka’s sword.  The severed snake fell to the ground, its parts twitching for a few seconds longer in its death struggle before stilling.

 

“Rotten meddler! Worthless dog,” Anath snarled before flinging himself at Luka.

 

Both Opasts met each other in the middle of the battlefield, the ground shaking and lightning erupting from where their swords connected. They jumped backwards, forwards, whirled around each other, parried attacks, dealt attacks, both demons equal to each other.

 

Yuki, Toko and Tsukumo came running over to Hotsuma and skitted to a halt beside the blond Zweilt. The siblings had been healed anew but when Yuki made an attempt to heal Hotsuma’s wounds, the blond shook him off.  Understanding Yuki nodded and concentrated his focus on the barrier that was keeping them from Shusei.  God’s Light brought his hands in front of him, the tips of his fingers touching, and he started to chant. 

 

A tiny pinprick of light appeared between Yuki’s hands, the small light gradually growing in size and radiance till the strawberry blond held a ball of light captured between his two hands. Sparks of light flew off the ball and drifted in the air all around Yuki and the Zweilts. 

 

Behind them Anath gritted his teeth in anger. He put more force behind his blows, trying to push Luka out of his way but the silver-eyed Opast was holding his ground and keeping the other from disrupting Yuki.

 

“You bastard!” Anath spat at Luka frustrated. He jumped away from the other Opast and held his left arm out.  Immediately an entire nest of snakes slithered rapidly forward over Anath’s arm, diving of his hand to attack Luka.  “I’ll show you who’s boss!”

 

The snakes all opened their mouth, the light of Yuki’s spell reflected on their two pointy and long tusks from which drops of venom fell.

 

“This is the end of you, Zess!” Anath roared triumphantic.

 

Luka calmly awaited the creatures. He slightly bend through his legs and when the snakes were almost within attacking range, he launched himself forward, right into the nest of snakes, beheading them all as he swept through them on his way towards Anath.

 

Anath’s eyes widened in horror and he took unconsciously a step backwards. Not a single one of his snakes had been able to bite Zess, not even scratch the Opast’s arms with their teeth.  “Impossible,” he whispered, bringing only his own sword up just in time to intercept Luka’s sword swing.  Their blades clashed anew, Anath finding himself this time being driven backwards by Luka’s strong and precise attacks.  “Impossible!” Anath shouted anew.  “How can such a low vermin as you best me?!”

 

Yuki’s ball of light had moved from the boy’s hands to the shield Anath had erected. The light was no longer gathered in the form of a ball but had spread out all along the expanse of the shield, laying a thin, light blue film over the purplish energy that held the shield active.  Yuki’s right hand came to rest in front of his face.  His pink and ring finger bend but the other three fingers held erect to the sky and against each other, the tip of his middle finger at eye level.  More words spilled out of his mouth and the three Zweilts were looking expectantly at the shield where the light blue film covering the shield seemed to pulsate in time with the rhythm of Yuki’s voice.

 

Electric pulses started to shoot out off the thin blue film, crackling all over the purple shield and clashing together at various spots on the transparent wall in front of the Zweilts and Yuki. Yuki’s hand suddenly shot forward and was held out towards the light blue electric storm in front of them as the young boy shouted out the final words of the spell in a commending tone.

 

Light engulfed the entire field. It swallowed up all those present, the Zweilts bringing up their arms to cover their eyes from the blinding light.

 

In the silence of the whiteness, Yuki’s tired puffs of air were heard accompanied by the gradually louder becoming sound of cracking glass. When the surroundings slowly became visible again, Hotsuma, Toko and Tsukumo’s eyes widened slightly as large fracture lines ran all over the purple shield.  The fracture lines widened and grew until not a single inch of the shield was left untouched.  With a final cracking noise that resembled the sound of large chunks of ice breaking of an ice berg, the shield shattered into millions of tiny, purple specks.

 

Hotsuma didn’t wait till all the purple particles had settled down. He immediately shot forward to the slightly raised platform with the bed on which Shusei lay.  With two large steps he took the four stony steps to the platform and then he froze, not sure what to do now, whether he was allowed to touch his partner, afraid he’d unconsciously perhaps would hurt Shusei.

 

His eyes raked over Shusei’s body and he felt his heart sink into his chest when his golden eyes took in the amount of blood that had pooled together under Shusei’s buttocks and that clung dried up to the brunet’s backside together with the bruising on the delicate skin of the boy’s thighs. There was too much blood, too many fresh bruises ...  This hadn’t been a mutual mating.  It hadn’t been a just a tad too forceful intercourse both partners had wanted. Shusei had been forced.  His partner had been …

 

Hotsuma looked away, tears stinging in the corner of his eyes. How many times still did he have to fail Shusei?  How many times more would he be unable to protect his partner?  His hands clenched in angry fists, the anger directed at himself, at his own worthless self.

 

“Hotsuma,” Toko’s hand came to rest on his shoulder. The girl’s entire demeanor and tone of voice spoke of compassion and he hated it.  He hated people pitying him.  He hated feeling so damned worthless.

 

Another hand briefly touched his arm. “Shusei-kun will be okay, Hotsuma.”  Yuki’s touch disappeared again as the young healer took that final step towards the bed and crouched down upon it to be able to heal the unconscious Zweilt laying upon it.  Light started to sparkle in the air – a warm, loving, cleansing and healing soft yellow light – and gradually the wounds that covered Shusei’s body disappeared. 

 

Behind them a furious growl sounded. It drew the Zweilts’ eyes back to the fight that had continued without them between Luka and Anath.  The two swords off the Opasts were currently locked anew, the Opasts’ faces just a hair breath away from each other, their breaths mingling in the air and being breathed in by the other.

 

Anath gave a violent push against Luka’s and his own locked sword and made the other Opast stumble backwards, only one step, but it was enough. He threw a final murdering glare at the black-haired demon before his eyes settled on the group a bit further up ahead.  Triumph glanced in his eyes.  He may have lost Shusei’s body for now, but in the end he was the winner here.  “Enjoy your empty victory,” he snarled as farewell, “cause that Zweilt will never wake up again!”

 

Hotsuma’s eyes widened in horror upon hearing this. What had Anath done to Shusei?

 

The blond’s attention returned to his partner’s unconscious body, dismissing Anath’s abrupt departure. The Opast was off no significance currently.  Only Shusei counted. 

 

Yuki was done with healing Shusei and was being supported by Tsukumo. God’s Light had overtaxed himself by first healing Toko and Tsukumo, then breaking the barrier that had been set up around Shusei and finally by healing the brunet’s wounds.  The small puncture wounds and the bruises on the brunet’s body were gone but Shusei’s eyes were still closed.  Pleading eyes sought out Yuki’s tired ones, the rash Zweilt begging their young healer to tell him Anath had been lying.  That Shusei would wake up any second now.  The regret in Yuki’s eyes however told him enough.

 

“I’m sorry, Hotsuma,” Yuki spoke, remorse and tiredness coloring the Light of God’s tone of voice. Luka showed up at Yuki’s side and he took the young blond over from Tsukumo, cradling the boy against him.  “I can’t feel him anymore.  I can’t reach Shusei.”

 

Hotsuma shook his head. No, he was hearing wrongly.  This wasn’t happening.  This wasn’t true. Without a single hesitance any longer he fell on his knees beside Shusei and grabbed the brunet’s limp hand in his own.  “Wake up, Shusei.  Wake up.” He willed the unconscious brunet over and over again but not a single response of the older Zweilt was forthcoming. The one thing Hotsuma wanted most of all didn’t happen.  Shusei didn’t wake up …

 

Hotsuma threw his head in the back of his neck and with a voice laced with despair, pain and loss he roared Shusei’s name to the sky. “SHUSEI!!!!!!!!!”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Yuki and Luka have finally arrived!!! Hurray! And now that they have made their appearance, they are here to stay, don't worry. You'll get to see much more of them from now on. And speaking of characters showing up late into the story ... Not sure what everyone's thought's are about Rou and Shizuka (Shusei, Hotsuma, Toko and Tsukumo's masters), but I hope you like them cause they will also come and join the fun later on. They were just begging to be written into the story :)
> 
> Important note: This is the final chapter of the old, already written parts. Starting next chapter, there may be a writing style difference as that chapter was abandonned halfway written. So from the next chapter on, this rusty girl is trying to let the story move forward to completion. I feel myself I ain't up to my usual writing anymore, but I do hope it will still be bearable enough to keep enjoing the story itself. 
> 
> Till the next chapter! *waves*


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First a few important notes. 
> 
> The most important probably being ... Uragiri is coming back! If by some very rare chance you didn't know already, new chapters will start to air anew in the Asuka magazine. *cheers*
> 
> Secondly: Did you notice? I added the amount of chapters this story will have. And do you understand what that means? Yes, it is finished. Well kinda. I wrote the end of the final chapter - chapter 41 - today and all that is left is an epilogue. The epilogue is already planned out in my notes so normally it shouldn't give me too much trouble, but if it does. The story can also end with the 41 chapters so be sure that the story will be completed! *cheers anew*
> 
> Thirdly: I warn anew that my restarting for this story happened somewhere in this chapter. If there is a difference in style of writing, I apologize and hope it won't turn you away from the amazing road we have travelled together already so far with still a lot to come.
> 
> Fourthly: Just let me point out just for the form anew that I don't own Uragiri.
> 
> Fifthly: a big apology for having taken so long to post the next chapter. Life kinda got a bit busy. 
> 
> Should I not see you anymore before 2016: Merry Christmas and a good 2016 wished to all of you. May it be filled with Uragiri!

Chapter 30:

A grim silence reigned in the darkened room. The sun was going under, its last rays reflected in the glass of the windows of the apartment buildings that populated the skyline off the flat Hotsuma, Toko and Tsukumo had been renting ever since they’d come to the reality Anath had created and had held Shusei captive in.  Both Shusei and Yuki were not present in the living room as were Luka and Sodom.  True to Anath’s words the brunet hadn’t regained consciousness and Yuki had lost consciousness on the way over here, the boy’s energy levels being spent and the young healer needing to recuperate.  Luka was occupying a chair beside Yuki’s bed and Sodom was lying on the top right corner of Yuki’s pillow, Zess’ familiar keeping watch over the boy and not wanting to be away from God’s Light.  The rest of them had migrated to the living room to discuss their next step.  The mood however had been depressing and so far no one had said anything yet.   They were all just sitting there, watching time tick by and the light becoming dimmer in the room.  Suddenly yellow light flashed.  The three Zweilts groaned in pain against the sudden brightness as the living room bathed now in light.  Hotsuma shot to his feet and whirled towards the offender whom had dared to flick on the light switch.

 

“Do you wanna blind us, bastard?!” he yelled. “How about a word of warning next time?!  What are you even doing here, huh?!  Aren’t you supposed to stay near Takashiro to keep kissing his ass?!”

 

“Hotsuma!” Toko reacted indignant. Luka had just saved their lives.  There was no reason to go off at the Opast.  She knew Hotsuma was hurting due to Shusei’s current condition but that was hardly Luka’s fault.  If it hadn’t been for the Opast and Yuki, they probably wouldn’t even have been able to retrieve Shusei as it was.  Even if it wasn’t the way they had wanted to get Shusei back.  The brunet should have been okay, up and about, directing them around and planning their next move.  Not lying motionless in a bed.

 

Luka however ignored Hotsuma’s rude demeanor. He knew the blond was only lashing out cause he was feeling useless and pained.  He understood.  If it were Yuki in that bed instead of Usui … He strode towards the empty chair and sat down.  “You were taking too long.  Yuki got worried,” he offered.

 

“Takashiro was okay with letting you come?” Toko inquired curiously. Takashiro always did his best to keep Yuki away from the battlefield and the danger and whilst it was true that Yuki had before thrown himself in the line of fire, Takashiro had been venomously against Yuki leaving for this reality this time around and risk himself.  The Light of God was needed in their own reality.  He was too precious to be risked upon a rescue mission of a Zweilt in an unknown dimension and to become lost there as then Takashiro wouldn’t be able to reach Yuki in time and perform the reincarnation spell that would guarantee the return of God’s Light should it be necessary.

 

“Yuki is Yuki,” Luka simply replied, earning a small smile off the Murasame siblings. True, Yuki never cared much about his own safety.  Only his friends’ wellbeing and safety mattered for the boy.  It was a huge contrast with how things used to be with Yuki and they were still getting used to this new kind of relationship they had with God’s Light.  How many more times would Yuki risk himself for them before it would become fatal?  None of them liked to think about this and that was also one of the reasons they too in their own way tried to keep Yuki out of harm’s way as much as possible.  There was however no escaping Yuki’s stubbornness and if the boy felt his help was needed, not even wild horses stopped him.  Wild horses or Takashiro.

 

“We owe him and you our thanks,” Tsukumo spoke. “If it weren’t for you guys showing up just when you did, that battle would have turned out way differently.”

 

“So?!” Hotsuma shot back, his entire being still brimming with pent up frustration and held in anger. “We still failed.  Or do you think we deserve a pat on our back for having brought back an empty shell?!”  Hotsuma’s right hand waved towards the closed door behind which stood the bed on which they had placed Shusei’s limp form.  “Shusei’s a freaking puppet now.  But perhaps that’s how Takashiro prefers it.  Makes it even easier to manipulate him.”  Hotsuma’s hand raked frustrated through his untamed strands of hair and he started pacing the room.  “He should have warned us.  He should have told us whom we were up against.  He let us fucking walk blindly into this whilst he knew damn well what was going on.  He betrayed us.  He betrayed SHUSEI!”

 

“Shusei makes his own choices, Hotsuma. You know that,” Toko interrupted the blond’s tirade softly.  “He may be the most perfect soldier out of all of us but when it comes down to it, Shusei will never do something against his will.”

 

Hotsuma huffed. “Unless it would benefit someone else.  That stupid selfless prick never knew how to value his life.”  The blond flopped back down on the couch, his irritation about his partner’s sacrificing side currently having appeased his anger again.  “So?” his eyes travelled over the three other occupants of the room.  “What do we do now?”

 

“We wake up Shusei-kun.”

 

“Yuki!” Luka was to his feet before the last syllable of Yuki’s uttered name had left his mouth. He was at the young healer’s side within seconds.  “You should still be resting,” he admonished.

 

Yuki gave a weak smile. “I’m fine.  Just still tired.  But,” he immediately added as Luka right away tried to steer the younger boy back to the bedroom, “I can rest just as well here in a chair,” he nodded in the chair’s direction Luka had just vacated, “as there on the bed.  Besides, Shusei-kun can’t afford me lazing around in bed all day.”

 

“You won’t be any good to him either if you exhaust yourself too much,” Luka still tried.

 

Yuki looked pleadingly up at Luka. “Please, Luka.  I can’t rest knowing Shusei-kun is still in danger.”

 

Luka gave a soft defeated sigh and then guided the blond boy to the empty chair. As soon as he was convinced Yuki was sitting comfortably, he disappeared in the bedroom Yuki had just vacated and returned not a minute later with a blanket that he draped over Yuki’s body.  Yuki looked up for a moment at the Opast and thanked him before he settled his attention back upon the three Zweilts that were looking at him, a mix of worry and curiosity in their eyes. 

 

“What do you mean by waking Shusei up? Do you know how” Hotsuma immediately asked as soon as Yuki was settled and was looking at them.  The second those words had left the healer’s mouth, hope had blossomed up in his heart and he was sitting at the edge of the couch now, leaning expectantly towards Yuki, as if the blond boy was a life line to hold on to.

 

Yuki sadly shook his head. “No.  I think only that Opast can wake Shusei- kun back up, but that doesn’t mean we can’t give it a try.  If we can figure out what’s keeping Shusei-kun from waking up, we may be able to figure something out.  Perhaps bypass whatever that Opast has done to Shusei-kun.”

 

“But how do you want to do that?” Tsukumo asked. “It is not like we can exactly walk up to Anath and ask him what he has done to Shusei.  Even if we could, I doubt he’d be sharing.”

 

“We go and see for ourselves,” Yuki replied as if was the most simple matter in the world. “We enter Shusei-kun’s mind.”

 

It remained silent for a few seconds whilst everyone digested what Yuki had just said but then all three Zweilts immediately shot up from the couch.

 

“What?!” “How?!”  “You’re talking craziness!”

 

The last insult came from Hotsuma whom was now convinced Yuki had overdone it already and had his brain fried somehow. Yuki however didn’t take the blond’s words to heart.  He just kindly smiled at the three Zweilts.  “I’m not talking nonsense here, Hotsuma-kun,” he gently started.  “I’m actually not even sure if it can be done, but I would like to try.  I don’t know how, but there’s this ancient spell that allows its castor to reach someone’s plain of existence.  To enter a person’s mind so to speak.  I don’t know why I know this, but,” Yuki’s right hand came to rest above his heart, “but I can feel it deep within me.  The spell exists and works and I know that I can perform it if I’d give it a try.”

 

“No.”

 

Yuki’s eyes widened in shock and he looked uncomprehendingly up at Hotsuma whom just venomously had opposed to saving Shusei. The blond’s hands were clenched in fists and there were small tremors raking the young Zweilt’s arms as he tried to hold himself in, tried to make the right decision here and not sacrifice someone else’s life just for Shusei’s.  His golden eyes focused on Yuki from under his blond bangs.  There were so many emotions – pain, sadness, frustration, hopelessness, being torn - swimming in those eyes that Yuki’s heart clenched painfully in sympathy.  “You’re still too weak, Yuki,” Hotsuma started, doing his best to keep his voice calm and reasonable.  “It would be the end of you.  Shusei wouldn’t want that.  He wouldn’t want you to die whilst trying to bring him back.”

 

Yuki shot halfway up out of the chair he was sitting in. The blanket that had been draped around his body fell useless in a heap on the ground.  “But we have to try something,” he shot back desperately, his desire to save his friends and have them be happy and safe overwhelming everything else within him, even his rationality that told him that Hotsuma was right and that he should be thinking off himself too.  “The longer we let Shusei-kun in this state, the harder …”

 

Hotsuma interrupted God’s Light. “Yuki, what good will you be to any of us, to Shusei, if you die in your attempt here and now?” the blond said frankly before he stepped up to the young boy and kneeled down on one knee in front of their healer.  Yuki immediately flushed and tried to get Hotsuma to stand back up again but the Zweilt stubbornly refused to listen to the other boy.  “You and him are so much alike,” Hotsuma continued, his head remaining bowed, the blond continuing to stare at the ground, his expression hidden by the long bangs of his blond hair that obscured his face.  “I don’t want to lose either of you.  Not just due to your blood that runs through my veins,” his right hand came to rest around the biceps of his left arm as he spoke those words, “and tells me to care for you.  But,” Hotsuma finally looked up at Yuki’s astonished face, “but cause I truly like you.  You were the first one to show me kindness beside Shusei.  You didn’t give up on me even when I was a downright ass to you.  You told me once my kindness was hidden but that you could feel its warmth even if I refused to show it.  But you, you are too kind.  You wear your kindness on your sleeve. You blind all of us with your kindness. Let people use and abuse it.  But I refuse to abuse that kindness.”

 

“Hotsuma,” Yuki tried but Hotsuma shook his head determinedly.

 

“No, I know you will say this offer has nothing to do with your kindness but I know it does. You need to learn to become more selfish, Yuki.  Being too kind also hurts people.”  Hotsuma’s eyes flicked to Luka.  “I’m not the only one whom has something at stake here.”

 

Yuki lowered his head. He got what the blond Zweilt was trying to tell him.  Sacrificing himself, putting himself deliberately in harm’s way would hurt Luka.  If he came to pass, Luka would be left all alone anew.  He would have knowingly hurt Luka then.  Would have knowingly chosen to leave Luka behind.  But if he didn’t try this, then Hotsuma would be the one to have to suffer through this.  Hotsuma would be the one left behind on his own and even if Hotsuma technically wouldn’t be on his lonesome cause they would all be there for the blond Zweilt, Yuki knew there was only one person whom truly would be able to heal the big, black hole the blond had been feeling ever since Shusei had been snatched away from Hotsuma’s side.

 

Yuki’s head lifted anew and his eyes sought out Luka’s. His golden eyes swam with sadness and pain and asked for the Opast’s understanding.  This was something he had to do.

 

Luka stared seemingly impassively back at Yuki, but his young charge knew that this was just a mask and he easily saw through it. He saw the turmoil of emotions within Luka.  Saw Luka’s fear, pain but also the Opast’s understanding.  Luka knew who he was and the Opast accepted this despite what this meant for him.  Despite the pain and risk this brought him.  Luka knew him and accepted him for who he was without trying to change him and he loved the Opast for that.

\-----------------flashback-----------------------

Yuki was sitting on her bed. Her golden hair hung freely over her shoulders and across her back.  Her delicate hands lay neatly folded in her lap on the white fabric of her dress.  “Luka,” she spoke up, her voice soft and her eyes training on the darkly clad Opast that stood a few feet away from the bed

 

“What is it?” Luka asked, regarding back at Yuki.

 

Yuki’s right hand unfolded out of her lap and came to brush a book that lay beside her on the bed. The book lay open, the front cover and back staring up at them.   Various emotions flickered over Yuki’s face as the young female debated whether she should continue or not, her eyes resting on the book.  A rustling sound before her startled her and made her look back up and at Luka whom had crouched down before her.  His pale hand with long nails reached out and he gently cupped her cheek, caressing the side of her face with his thumb.

 

“What’s wrong, Yuki?” Luke prodded gently.

 

Yuki smiled at him, the smile holding no joy but sadness. She leaned better into the touch of Luka’s hand, her eyes closing, and brought her own right hand up to come and cover his.  “You’re just like him,” she said softly.  Her eyes opened anew and Luka found himself captured in saddened gold.  

 

“Yuki?” Luka asked uncertainly, having no clue what the girl in front of him was talking about or whom she was referring to.

 

“Did you ever read a picture book called ‘The kind King’?” Yuki continued. “It’s about a king who is really kind.  But his kindness comes to cost him everything, even his life.  You are like that king, Luka.  You too are too kind and lose out because of your kindness.  I’m sorry.  I wish I could change that.  I wish you didn’t love me, Luka.”  Tears gathered in the corners of Yuki’s eyes.

 

“Yuki,” Luke muttered softly at a loss faced with his beloved’s pain and sadness.

 

Yuki shook her head. “I will only bring you pain, Luka.  You shouldn’t love me.”

 

“Yuki,” Luka breathed out. He crouched down in front of her and gently grabbed a strand of her long, blond hair.  He brought the strand of hair upwards to his lips and gave a chaste kiss to the hair.  “Even if this will be my fate, I will treasure it for it will be given to me by you.”

 

“Luka?” Yuki’s big saddened eyes gazed at the Opast. Confusion swam in them, the girl unable to comprehend how anyone could come to see such a cruel fate bestowed upon them as a received gift.

 

“You are here with me now, Yuki. That is enough.  Before I was so alone.  My world held no hope.  No glimmer of light.  You changed this.  Your love saved me and I will never betray that gift.  I am your loyal servant,” Luka bowed his head solemnly, “in life and heart.   Wherever your path will lead you to, I will follow without a question.  I am yours to own.”  Luka’s head lifted anew.  The Opast’s eyes gazed lovingly at the girl before him.  “You touched my heart, Yuki.  Gave me purpose.  I will never be able to return your bestowed gift upon me in kind.  So let me be by your side for that is all I can offer you.  My life, my power, my heart.”

 

Yuki shook her head. Her eyes shone with the pain she felt upon hearing Luka’s acceptance of the horrible life she would bestow upon him.  “Luka, no.  I …” her sentence got cut short as Luka laid his fingers against her lips.

 

“Sshhttt,” he said. “Forget about the possible future, Yuki.  Think about the here and now.  What will be, will be.  We can’t change that.  Yet it ain’t enough for me to abandon you.  I won’t leave you.  I love you.  We belong together.  Contract or no contract, I belong to you, Yuki.  I can feel it in my heart and soul.”  Luka’s hand came to rest softly on Yuki’s chest above where her heart lay.  “Can you tell me you don’t feel the same?  Will you deny your feelings for me?  Our love?”

 

Tears slid down over Yuki’s cheeks, painting a silvery, shining trail on her rose-colored cheeks. “Luka, I don’t understand,” she hiccupped.  “How?  How can you bind yourself to me while you know we can never truly be?”

 

“Because I love you, Yuki. It’s that simple.  And if all I can ever have is just this, then it is enough.  All I ask of you is to let me be by your side for as long as you live.  Even if one day you won’t love me anymore, my heart won’t change.  I will be by you till my death.”

 

“But you will get hurt,” Yuki interjected desperately. “I don’t want that.  I don’t want you to suffer.”

 

“Then stop trying to send me away,” Luka calmly answered as if this was the solution to everything and whilst Yuki knew it wasn’t that simple, she could no longer try to push him away. Not at this moment.  She loved Luka and she needed him.  He wasn’t the only one who had been living in a dark and cold world.  He wasn’t the only one who had been saved from the loneliness.  With a cry she threw herself forward, trusting Luka to catch her and the Opast did.  He embraced her and within his embrace she found comfort, love, peace, security and strength. 

_‘Forgive me, Luka.’_

\------------------ end flashback ---------------------------

Yuki’s right hand lay upon Luka’s left cheek as he gazed up in the Opast’s eyes and silently asked the other man to forgive him for what he was about to do. For what he was going to risk.

 

Luka’s hand reached up and covered Yuki’s hand on his cheek. “I will be waiting here for you,” he spoke up.

 

A sad smile came to adorn Yuki’s face. “Thank you,” he said softly.  His hand fell away and came to hang limply beside his body.  His head was bowed and his shoulder slightly slumped, Yuki portraying the perfect image of the boy who was way too young to wear all this responsibility on his shoulders and it made Luka’s heart ache.  Without a second thought he reached out in turn and gently cupped the left side of Yuki’s face.  His fingers brushed the blond bangs away from Yuki’s forehead.  “Be careful,” Luka gently said, “and know that I believe in you.  I know you will come back to me.”

 

Yuki’s head lifted and he gazed thankfully up at the Opast. “Thank you, Luka,” he spoke up anew, but this time warmth lay behind his words.  Warmth and love, the boy grateful for the comfort, love and strength Luka always offered him.  He had never told anyone this but Yuki knew that without Luka by his side, he would never have made it this far.  The Opast was his strength, his life-line, his anchor, his home.  And as long as he was able to, he would always return to him.

 

Yuki’s attention returned to Hotsuma and he smiled at the blond. But even before he opened his mouth to speak, Hotsuma’s eyes already widened in shock after which the blond looked pained away.  Hotsuma had already read Yuki’s answer in the boy’s eyes and it pained the blond that he had failed to make Yuki see sense.

 

Feeling Hotsuma’s pain, Yuki walked over to the blond Zweilt and went to stand in front of him. “Thank you, Hotsuma,” he said softly.  Thank you for trying.  Thank you for valuing my life.  There was so much behind those two simple words, but he knew the Zweilt in front of him understood, just as Toko and Tsukumo did.  The female Zweilt had moved to her brother’s side and was buried against his side.  Tsukumo had wrapped a protective arm around her and was hugging her in a comforting way against him whilst Toko’s eyes shone with unshed tears.

 

Yuki gave his Zweilts a comforting smile. It would be okay.  Even if he would indeed not come back, he would still be with them.  They would never truly be alone …

 

\--------------------------------------------------

TBC

Author’s note: find the story of the kind king here : http://farnear.deviantart.com/art/The-kind-king-286908009


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wishing you all for 2016 the drive and courage to leave behind comments/reviews for stories you like. Whether it are one-shots or longer on going stories, please support the writers. Let them know their hard work and their effort to bring you extra adventures and moments with your favourite characters in your favourite universes is appreciated. Believe me, comments make our days.
> 
> And for those battling with upcoming exams: study well and good luck. Believe in yourself.

Chapter 31:

The first rays of the rising sun shone into the room. Soft, weak, golden, warm light.  Not strong enough yet to chase away the darkness that had held the room prisoner for many hours, but already filled with a promise.  A new dawn was upon them.  No matter how dark it became, eventually the light would return.  Light always won from darkness. 

 

Hotsuma stared at Shusei’s motionless figure on the bed. The moment of when they were going to try the spell wasn’t lost on him.  It felt fitting to him that they would try to return Shusei to them as a new day broke on.  As if the promise of a new day, of the sun rising anew, was meaningful and helpful in bringing Shusei back.  As if just like the sun, Shusei would arise anew too.

 

Hotsuma’s left had balled up to a fist. His nails dug into the palm of his hand.  All night Luka and Tsukumo had been out to gather the necessary supplies Yuki needed for the spell whilst he and Toko had remained behind to watch over Shusei’s resting body and Yuki.  The room now smelled of various herbs whilst small candle flames danced in the soft breeze of the morning.  None of these attributes were really necessary to do the spell, but with Yuki’s still weakened state, Luka had made a list of various natural supplies that sustained, nourished and supported one’s magical abilities in the hope to take some of the edge off from the spell for Yuki.

 

“Are you two ready?”

 

Hotsuma’s golden eyes glanced to Yuki who was looking expectantly at him. Tsukumo had already stepped up to Yuki upon the boy’s question.  The gray-haired boy would accompany him and Yuki into Shusei’s mind as his God’s Ears could be useful in finding Shusei’s soul on Shusei’s plain of existence.

 

“Let’s do this,” Hotsuma spoke, walking also over to Yuki. His words had sounded brave, determined, agreeing, but part of him still felt far from okay that he let Yuki do this.  That he allowed the one he ought to protect risk himself like this.  But he also knew that nothing he could say or do would dissuade God’s Light and that if he truly kept opposing, Yuki would go without him and then he wouldn’t be able to do anything anymore for Yuki should it become necessary.  Nor would he be able to be there for Shusei.  Staying here, wouldn’t help his partner.  If anything had shown him that, it had been the night that had passed.  He had sat beside Shusei’s bed all night, holding Shusei’s cold hand, talking to the brunet and willing him to come back but not a single sign of life had been forthcoming from Shusei.  If it hadn’t been for Shusei’s chest slowly rising and falling and the boy’s heartbeat that  Hotsuma had felt under his thumb where he had kept caressing Shusei’s wrist, Hotsuma would have sworn he had been sitting next to a corpse.

 

Yuki held out his hands for Tsukumo and Hotsuma. Both Zweilts took hold of one hand and flanked God’s Light as Yuki closed his eyes and started to speak ancient words that welled up inside him.

 

A green light started to shine around Yuki and thin ribbons of the light shot away from the blond boy and wrapped themselves around the trio. Specks of light rose up from the binding ribbons and danced in front of Yuki, Tsukumo and Hotsuma. 

 

Slowly the room darkened and fell out of focus. The green dots of light remained the only thing to focus on and then suddenly, as if nothing had happened, Tsukumo, Hotsuma and Yuki found themselves standing at a frozen, desolated plain.  An icy wind whiffed around them and sent fine, diamond glittering dust in the air.  The sky was ink black, not a single orb to illuminate the plain, yet it wasn’t dark.

 

“Is this Shusei’s mind?” Hotsuma spoke up astonished and in shock. He didn’t know what he had expected.  Not unicorns and rainbows, that didn’t fit Shusei at all, but this bleakness?  This nothingness and emptiness?  No, this couldn’t be Shusei’s mind.

 

“What’s left of it,” Yuki spoke, making Hotsuma glance over his shoulder at the younger blond.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Yuki scanned their surroundings a final time before he let his attention come to rest on God’s Voice. “You told me Shusei didn’t remember us anymore or his life with us, remember.  Anath must have tweaked Shusei’s mind to do that.  Reshaped it to fit his needs.  I doubt Shusei’s true mind resembles anything like this.”

 

“I disagree,” Tsukumo spoke up. The gray-haired boy had bent down to one knee and his right hand was touching the icy layer beneath their feet.   He lifted his head and let his eyes sweep over the plain in front of him.  “To make this work, to successfully manipulate someone’s mind, you can best stick as close to the truth as you can.  The further you go away from reality, the frailer the manipulation and the easier one can break through it.  Anath didn’t make Shusei forget he was a Zweilt although there was no need for him to let Shusei know this in the reality he took Shusei to.  Shusei has a strong will and mind.  Anath must know this too and so he would have wanted to remain as close to the real thing as he could when he manipulated Shusei’s mind.”

 

Hotsuma looked back around him and felt his heart constrict painfully. Was this truly how Shusei saw himself?  As nothing special?  As just something void and cold? 

 

A hand touched Hotsuma’s shoulder and pulled the blond out of his thoughts. “Let’s go,” Yuki spoke, giving Hotsuma an understanding and sympathetic smile.  “Let’s find Shusei-kun and bring him back to us.”

 

Hotsuma’s eyes travelled from Yuki’s hand to the plain anew. He would change this.  He would find Shusei and after that he would turn this place in a warm, sunny and luxuriant place.  He would show Shusei that the brunet was way more than his partner seemed to believe himself to be and he wouldn’t stop until Shusei knew and accepted this and even then he would keep at it so his partner would never forget anew.

 

Hotsuma gave a small nod to Yuki and then turned to Tsukumo. “Any idea which way we should go?”

 

Tsukumo closed his eyes and listened. The plain around him spun, gradually increasing in speed, as he listened attentively in every direction but it was everywhere as deadly silent as it was right around them.

 

Tsukumo opened his eyes anew and looked at his companion. He shook his head regretfully. “I don’t get anything.  I’m sorry.”

 

Hotsuma nodded that he understood and then took a few determined steps away from Yuki and Tsukumo. “Shusei!” he started.  “Shusei!  If you can hear me, then help us out!  We’re here!  So, come on!  Help us!”

 

The three boys waited expectantly. Hotsuma had already proven before how strong his bond with Shusei was.  Time after time their strong connection had given Hotsuma’s Voice of God an extra kick, making it able to perform wonders.  This time however it remained deadly silent.  There wasn’t a single answer.  Not even a distant and soft one.  Hotsuma’s shoulders slumped lightly. 

 

“Let’s not give up that easily,” Tsukumo spoke. “Come on,” and the gray-haired boy started forward, choosing simply a direction without any substantial reason.  Having no good argument to object, Yuki and Hotsuma fell in line and followed him.

 

The boys walked over the barren plain, coldness wrapping itself around them but not seeping into their bodies.

 

“Why do you think it is so empty here?” Yuki voiced. “I mean, there is truly nothing here.  Surely even if Shusei-kun’s mind resembles this, then there would have to be some evidence here off him, no?  This just feels so … wrong.”

 

Hotsuma paused and gave Yuki a thoughtful look. The younger blond had a point.  This felt clinical.  Unreal.  No matter what Tsukumo had said.   No matter what God’s Ears believed.  This wasn’t his partner.  This wasn’t Shusei.  This was fake.  Just like before, before Yuki had come and the burn scars had stood between him and Shusei.  This was a wall.  A shield behind which Shusei was hiding just like then. 

 

Hotsuma knelt down and placed one of his hands on the glistening surface beneath them. ‘Shusei,’ he called out mentally, putting behind his call all his love and longing for the brunet boy.  Warmth started to swirl around his hand.  His palm and fingers started to glow and the air around his hand started to shimmer from the heat radiating off his limb.  His hand turned yellowish red and then suddenly a circle of fire shot out from his hand.  The circle widened out and came to cover the complete plain.

 

Yuki and Tsukumo gasped in surprise but Hotsuma’s power just shot underneath their feet through without burning or hurting them. God’s Voice wasn’t set on defeating, hurting or burning anyone.  He only wanted to find and be reunited with his partner.

 

“Over there!” Tsukumo’s shout made Hotsuma lift his head and stare at the spot the other boy was pointing towards. Red, yellow flames were circling around a spot on the ground.

 

“Let’s go,” Hotsuma spoke, already back to his feet and running over to the circle of flames. Yuki and Tsukumo took off after him but it wasn’t until Hotsuma had skitted to a halt beside the arisen circle that they caught up to him.  They waited patiently whilst Hotsuma stretched his hand out to the circle and made the flames die down with his mental will. 

 

“What now?” Tsukumo asked. He peered over Hotsuma’s shoulder at the spot God’s Voice had indicated to them. 

 

Without a single word Hotsuma stepped forward and went to stand on the circular patch of ice his fire had marked. For a second nothing happened and then suddenly they heard wind racing over the bare plain towards them.  The wind seemed to come from every direction, its roar deafening as it pulled closer.

 

The three boys glanced around them, trying to pin point from where the threat seemed to come but drew up short. The wind reached them and ruffled their clothing and hair.  It picked up in strength and speed, tearing chunks of ice out of the ground all around them and swirling the lumps of ice around in the air.

 

Hotsuma stared at his friends from behind his shielding hand, Yuki and Tsukumo also having brought up their hands to shield their eyes from the debris flying all around them at unimaginable velocity. He saw Yuki open his mouth and yell something at them, but God’s Light’s words got swallowed up by the deafening roar that flagellated his ears.  He wanted to shout back at his companions when his attention got drawn to his feet.  The ground beneath him was gone.  The vast substance had turned into a liquid pool and he felt himself slowly start to sink. 

 

Fear gripped Hotsuma’s heart and he wanted to call out in fright to Tsukumo and Yuki for help when suddenly he felt a familiar touch brush against his psych. ‘Shusei’, Hotsuma’s mind breathed relieved, his fear immediately blanketed and leaving him. 

 

Hotsuma’s hands shot out and without warning he pulled Tsukumo and Yuki towards him and also into the pool of liquid ice. His friends threw him a shocked expression but he met it with a reassuring and determined facial expression.  Words were lost in this wind so he tried to set their minds at rest with a nod to communicate that it was okay and that they would be fine.

 

The liquid pulled them down as if they were sinking through a jelly. The descent was slow and unhurtful.  The liquid encased them with care.  It wrapped itself around them with so much consideration that one would start to think they were from glass and could shatter to pieces any second.  It was a vast difference with the lashing wind.  From a war zone they went to calmness and serenity.  A welcoming breath of peace.

 

The ice closed itself above their heads and Hotsuma, Yuki and Tsukumo found themselves gently lowered to steady ground, the liquid around them releasing its grip on them during the process and freeing them anew.

 

The three boys gazed around and Hotsuma felt his heart sink. Once again they encountered a barren field.  It wasn’t a plain anymore as before but it still felt as empty as before.  Dunes of fine dust surrounded them and rose up as far as the eye could see.  From the sky fell some kind of soft powder and red lightning crackled and cleaved though the sky.  It struck the piles of collected dust and made piles of small particles burst into the air after which they whirled back to the ground in a soft and gently manner.  It reminded the three boys of watching snow come down from dark clouds during winter.  The space even breathed out the stillness of a snow covered winter field.  The crackling of the red lighting in the sky with its occasional outburst to the ground was the only sound they could pick up on.  For the rest stillness wrapped itself around them in a choking hold. In a way being here was almost too much.  Something weighed down upon them and made it hard to breath.  It felt suffocating to be here.  As if you could never get enough air into your lungs no matter how hard you tried. 

 

Hotsuma took a final glance around before he crouched down and placed his right hand on the surface. Just like mere minutes ago he called out mentally for his partner, asking Shusei to help guide them anew.  This time nothing happened however.  Hotsuma gritted his teeth and gave it another shot, sending his call out with even more power and desperation but it remained eerie quiet all around them.  The power that shot out from his hand disappeared both times into nothingness without remaining to linger anywhere.

 

Hotsuma averted his head and balled his hands to fists. Nothing.  There was nothing here.  What good had coming here done?  He had hoped so hard that wherever Shusei was bringing them to, it would have been somewhere where they would find something that would help them to wake Shusei back up.  But all they had gotten was nothing.  Emptiness.  His power had led them to nowhere. 

 

“Hotsuma?” Yuki’s concerned voice carried to the older blond.

 

God’s Voice turned his head towards Yuki and gasped. “Yuki!” he called out alarmed.  He shot to his feet, crossed the distance between them in a few quick strides and grabbed hold of Yuki’s chin.  The younger blond looked startled at him, like a deer caught in headlights, but he didn’t fight the grip nor did he try to squirm away when Hotsuma turned his head lightly from left to right and back.  Beside Hotsuma Tsukumo showed up and the gray-haired boy also released a startled cry.

 

“What?” Yuki demanded, wondering what had upset his two friends.

 

Hotsuma looked unbelieving back at him. “You’re bleeding out of your nose,” he said whilst he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket.  “How can you not have noticed that?”  He pushed the handkerchief gently against Yuki’s nose.

 

Yuki frowned confused. His right hand came up to feel at his nose but Hotsuma stopped him.  “Don’t.  You’ll get yourself covered under blood.”  Hotsuma pulled the handkerchief away for a second and showed Yuki the red stains on it before he applied the fabric anew to God’s Light’s nose.

 

Yuki took a staggering step backwards, shocked. “I …”

 

“You’ve pushed yourself too hard,” Hotsuma interrupted harshly before he shook his head. “This is my fault.  I shouldn’t have pushed you.”

 

“No,” Yuki protested. He grabbed Hotsuma’s free hand and held it.  “This was my choice.  I wanted to do this.  I chose to help Shusei-kun.”

 

Hotsuma tore his gaze angrily away from Yuki. “We’re going back,” he announced fierce, his tone of voice allowing no objection not that this stopped Yuki.

 

“No!” the younger boy cried out. “Shusei needs us.  We haven’t gotten anywhere yet.”

 

Hotsuma’s attention whipped fast as lightning back to Yuki. His facial expression was raw.  Dangerous.  Angry.  “Do you think he would want this?!  Do you think Shusei would want people dying for him?!” he snarled.  He pulled his hand free out of Yuki’s and instead grabbed hold of Yuki’s wrist.  “We are going back.  We’ll come up with some different plan to help Shusei.  Preferable one where no one needs to get hurt.”  He started forward, back to the column of light they had just vacated, dragging Yuki behind him but the other blond wouldn’t have it. 

 

A flash of anger swept over Yuki’s face. He planted his feet firmly on the ground and yanked his wrist free out of Hotsuma’s grasp. 

 

God’s Voice stopped and looked surprised over his shoulder. Yuki was seething.  His body lightly hunched over and his shoulders drawn in.

 

“Do you think no one is hurting now?!” Yuki yelled. “ **You** are hurting! **Shusei** is hurting!  You are ripped apart!”  Hotsuma opened his mouth to protest but Yuki didn’t give him a chance.  He continued his tirade but the anger was gone out of it.  All that was left was pain and sadness.  “You haven’t been the same anymore ever since Shusei was taken.  You bleed pain, Hotsuma.”  Yuki’s right hand came up to his own heart.  “And it hurts.”  Tears started to stream over Yuki’s face.  “I don’t even have to touch you to feel your pain.  Your soul screams it out.  Even when you were asleep, the little moments you were, you kept calling out to him in anguish and pain.”

 

Pain and guilt washed over Hotsuma’s face. He crossed back the few steps to Yuki and surprised the shorter boy by pulling him out of the blue in a tight hug, Hotsuma’s hands cradling Yuki’s head and back and bringing Yuki close to him.  “I’m so sorry,” he whispered into Yuki’s hair.

 

Yuki’s hands came up and grabbed the back of Hotsuma’s shirt, the boy returning the hug. “Let me help, Hotsuma.  Please,” he pleaded in a soft voice, but Hotsuma shook his head. 

 

God’s Voice broke the hug and held Yuki at an arm length from him so that he could look anew into Yuki’s golden eyes. He shook his head sadly.  “I appreciate it, Yuki, but … but you can’t help.”

 

“But …” Yuki started only to be silenced anew as Tsukumo’s hand landed on his left shoulder. The gray-haired boy regarded him sympathetically.

 

“Hotsuma is right, Yuki. You have already pushed yourself too far.  It won’t do any of us any good if you go too far.  Not to Hotsuma and not to Shusei either.  Let Hotsuma and me handle this.  You have already brought us here.  We’ll take it from here.  You go back and rest.  Come and find us when you are back your old self.”

 

Yuki’s eyes travelled from Tsukumo to Hotsuma – who nodded in agreement with Tsukumo’s words and tried to convey in his nod a plea to Yuki to trust them – and back to Tsukumo. God’s Ears looked as determined as Hotsuma.  They would find and bring Shusei back.  They wouldn’t stop until they had succeeded.  Yuki could feel it and even if he hated it, he knew he had to take a step back now.  He had to trust them …

 

Yuki gave a small nod. “Okay,” he spoke.  He took a few steps backwards, away from the two Zweilts.  Slowly his soul projection into Shusei’s mind started to dissolve and become transparent.  “I will be back in 6 hours,” he promised.

 

“And we’ll all go back home then,” Hotsuma promised. “Us and Shusei.”

 

Yuki gave a final smile and then he was gone, leaving Hotsuma and Tsukumo alone behind in the barren landscape.

 

Tsukumo turned his attention to Hotsuma. “What are we going to do now?” he asked.

 

Hotsuma turned a grim and determined expression towards Tsukumo. “What we just promised we’d do.  Get Shusei back.”

                                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------

TBC


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32:

Wind blew past them as Hotsuma and Tsukumo continued their track forward. They had started walking on good faith in just a random direction.  Tsukumo’s God’ Ears hadn’t brought forth any clue as to where to head next nor had Hotsuma’s God’s Voice worked this time around.  The two boys however had refused to give up and be discouraged that easily.  Hotsuma’s power had led them here upon his call to Shusei so there had to be here something off importance.  So far however all they had found were small mountains of fine, powdery dust and nothing more.  Slowly Hotsuma grew frustrated and upon passing the next powdery dune the blond kicked out and made more fine dust fly into the air.  Really, what good had coming here done?  

 

The blond Zweilt wanted to stomp further but Tsukumo’s hand shot out and wrapped itself around Hotsuma’s upper arm.

 

“Hold up, Hotsuma,” Tsukumo spoke. The gray-haired boy’s  head was tilted lightly as if he were listening to something.

 

Hotsuma turned fully towards his friend. “What is it?  Do you hear something?”  Hope blossomed up in Hotsuma’s chest.

 

Tsukumo didn’t answer straight away. Instead he turned around himself slowly and let his eyes scan the landscape.  “It can’t be,” he muttered finally more to himself than to Hotsuma.

 

“What?” Hotsuma felt impatience get the better of him. If Tsukumo had indeed heard something, had some kind of lead no matter what it was, then it was better than nothing, wasn’t it?

 

Tsukumo’s eyes met Hotsuma’s impatient golden ones before the younger boy crouched down and swept up a handful of the powdery dust that Hotsuma had just kicked upwards and that had whirled back to the ground.

 

“What is it?” Hotsuma took an impatient step towards his companion.

 

Tsukumo rose back up and opened his hand. He stared intently at the small grains collected there before his eyes wandered anew all around them and came to rest finally on Hotsuma.  “The sand here,” he started.  “It are Shusei’s memories.  I am convinced of it.  When you kicked up some of the sand, I could hear a faint whisper coming from the grains.”

 

Hotsuma frowned. “His memories?” he repeated confused.  “How can these tiny specks be his memories?”

 

“That’s just it,” Tsukumo replied gravely. “They shouldn’t be.  Somehow Shusei’s memories are torn apart.  Shattered.  Reduced to these mere small particles.”

 

Hotsuma’s eyes left Tsukumo’s face and came to focus on the sand in Tsukumo’s cupped hands. His hand reached out, hovered for a second above the sand as if he were afraid touching the grains would hurt Shusei somehow, and then came to rest gently on top of the small pile.  Hotsuma had no way to confirm what Tsukumo had just declared but somehow in his heart he knew the younger boy was speaking the truth.  This was Shusei.

 

Hotsuma lifted his gaze anew and stared at Tsukumo. “What now?”

 

Tsukumo’s eyes wandered over the hills of dust around them. “We need to find a way to restore his memories.  If we can do that, Shusei can wake up anew.”

 

“But how …” Hotsuma trailed off, his eyes wandering the expanse of Shusei’s mind. Everywhere he looked were mountains of sand - grains of memories he corrected himself mentally - as far as the eye could see and even beyond.  It was an impossible task.  It would take centuries and even then … Shusei had always kept secrets from all of them, the deal with Anath none of them had known about another cruel reminder of this.  How much more had Shusei kept from them?  And how could they bring those pieces back together?  It wasn’t like the pieces were from a jigsaw puzzle where they could try and fit and arrange everything based upon their form.

 

As if Tsukumo could read Hotsuma’s mind the boy spoke whilst his hand landed encouragingly on the blond’s shoulder. “We have to try at least.”

 

Hotsuma regarded the other for a moment quietly before he nodded. Tsukumo had a point.  They owed Shusei.  Shusei would never turn his back on either of them just because the task laid down before him seemed impossible.

 

Hotsuma dropped to his knees and swept some grains together in a small heap. ‘Now what?’ he wondered as he stared helplessly at the small pile in front of him.  It wasn’t like he had Tsukumo’s power.  The gray-haired boy was sitting a bit further up ahead and sorting through grains based upon his God’s Ears talent it seemed but Hotsuma didn’t possess that unique ability.  Could he use his God’s Voice?  Would he be able to command Shusei’s memories to fit themselves back together?

 

Hotsuma closed his eyes and blocked everything around him out. He focused solely on Shusei.  On how his partner smiled at him.  How Shusei’s eyes shone with love for him.  The touch of the brunet’s hand on his bare skin.  Shusei’s breath stirring the hairs in the nape of his neck as the brunet was spooned up to Hotsuma’s back.

 

Hotsuma’s entire being started to hum for Shusei. He called out to his partner with longing and yearning.  A desire to be whole anew, to be reunited with the missing part of his soul.  God, how he wanted to feel Shusei back beside him.  And then he felt it …

 

A gasp came from his right but Hotsuma ignored it. He kept his eyes closed, kept sending out a call to Shusei.

 

Tsukumo had risen back to his feet and was staring in shock and wonder at Hotsuma. The blond’s entire body was glowing with red and yellow light like the flickering of fire.  Heat radiated off God’s Voice and swept over the plane in every direction.  Grains got thrown into the sky and melted together into shards, the shards in turn coming together to make bigger pieces.  Hotsuma was restoring Shusei’s mind or perhaps Shusei was doing so spurred on by Hotsuma’s uttered demand.  Whatever the case, it was working.  Slowly Shusei’s memories were starting to take shape anew all around them.  The faint murmur he had been able to pick up before as a distant echo from Shusei’s memories became gradually louder as more shards connected themselves to big mirrors that revealed to Tsukumo past events Shusei had lived through.

 

Above their heads thunder started to crackle in a warning and ominous manner. Tsukumo’s head shot up.  A warning left his lips just as a powerful and grand red fork of lightning shot down.  It attacked the melted together memories and scattered them anew into tiny pieces.

 

“Hotsuma!” Tsukumo called out. “The lightning,” he continued as a new red lightning fork struck multiple dust piles and sent the piles apart, “it is preventing Shusei’s memories to melt together anew!”

 

Hotsuma didn’t give a single outwardly sign that he had heard Tsukumo apart from a single angry growl: “Anath.”

 

Tsukumo nodded in confirmation even though Hotsuma couldn’t see the action. “The red lightning, I think it is some kind of safety mechanism Anath left behind in Shusei’s mind to prevent Shusei from merging his memories back together.   And from waking up.  We need to find a way to get rid of it.”

 

Hotsuma threw his head into his neck and roared out: “Shusei ain’t yours! Leave him alone, you asshole!”  Above them thunder rumbled loudly as if to challenge and mock them.

 

Hotsuma snapped his eyes open anew and looked at Tsukumo. “Can you put a shield up?  Keep the lightning from touching Shusei?”

 

Tsukumo let his eyes travel over the expanse. They needed to keep the lightning at bay, yes, but how were they supposed to do this with Anath’s safety mechanism being present seemingly everywhere in Shusei’s mind? The Opast hadn’t taken any chances it seemed. The security measurement he had placed within Shusei’s mind was without fail it seemed.

 

_ **I Know I said I'd give till the 29 of February 2016 but I doubt that in one week more than half of the readers will still come back and leave a comment so with that, the deadline ends and the story stops.  I have some stuff going on this week that ain't pleasant so I am ending this so I can focus on that.** _

_**I am thus going to stop putting Uragiri up any longer here as just like years before on Livejournal and FFN, the response is lacking. People of this fandom take the stories clearly all for granted and since I have enough of that already in my real life going on, I am through with being taken for granted also for what I do in my free time as a hobby and for fun. So, my Uragiri work from now on and also the rest of the chapters for this story will be limited to only restricted writing groups where we do still support each other. I don't know if you are a member of one of those groups, but if you are, you will be able to read the ending there, if not, sorry then.** _

_**So, no, I didn't get enough comments. More than half of the people who are still reading this, have left not a single comment. So I am through with it. It is sad when we have to start begging and threatening to get comments. Even sadder when even that doesn't work.** _

_**I will leave my reasoning of before also up so new readers who may stumble on this can read down here why I decided to stop.  Thanks for the understanding and perhaps one day we'll meet again in some other fandom.** _

_**People, "LIKES"  / "KUDOS" DO NOT COUNT!!!!!!**_  

**Great.  And now that I have your attention ...  I won't be updating this story here anymore unless you all finally start to review.  I have asked nicely once and hardly got any response back then.  I asked anew last chapter and apart from my loyal reviewers who comment regulary, none of you listened to my plea.  So here is the deal:**

**For each new comment I get - and I mean "comment" so NO LIKING but ACTUAL WORDS as a REVIEW/COMMENT - I will upload a new part of the chapter when I have time.  And I want a comment from EACH and EVERONE of you who is still reading.  I want thus a comment from every person who read the last two chapters as I am going under the assumption that you are still following the story then and also still like it.  So for each unique IP adres a review!**

**I will give you all till 29 February 2016.  If not everyone has reviewed by then, the story will remain incomplete here.  And I will also stop posting my work further here.  It will only get posted on an account with limited access and only my loyal reviewers of the last chapters will get access to that account.  So if you want to be able to keep reading my work, it is UP TO YOU all together.  Remember that if you don't review, you will punish every other reader of the story too.**

_ **And no, you don't need an account here to be able to review.  You can just fill in your name if you don't have an account.  So no one of you has an excuse to not review!** _

**I don't like doing this, but I am fed up with the lack of response here.  So if that continues, this account will become a dead account.  I won't put any time or effort in uploading things here then anymore.  Writing takes a lot of time.  Editting takes also time.  And uploading takes also a bit of time.  I feel that I am allowed to at least ask then in return a minute or so of your time for a review.**

**_To my loyal reviewers, you know who you are, if the story indeed will remain incomplete here, I will make sure you guys at least can get the whole thing.  I'll either make a private account on internet with limited access that I will grant you.  Or I will mail you the chapters or so.  I promise I won't leave you hanging.  You have already long ago deserved the rights to the complete story._ **

**So one again, my apologies, but I hope to put finally a fire under all of your butts and not just for my stories but for every writer out there whose fanfiction you enjoy to read.**


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